Dili, August 11, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The UNTL Student Academic Association, through a communiqué released on Friday, stated that UNTL is no longer a place for producing knowledge and truth in line with its motto, but has instead become a place for crime and a space where certain administrators take advantage to pursue personal and group interests. The communiqué was delivered at the UNTL Central Campus.
Spokesperson Rio Davio, during a press conference held at the UNTL Central Campus, informed the public that regarding the incident that took place at the National University of Timor-Lorosa’e (UNTL) on 06/08/2025, the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL), through the Criminal Investigation Service Directorate (DSIK), executed a warrant from the Dili District Court of First Instance, No. 0186/25 PSIK, to conduct searches and seize documents from the Rector’s Office and several other university structures due to suspicion of crimes involving document forgery and technical annotations.
“This search and seizure operation leads the Student Academic Association to conclude that UNTL is no longer a place for producing knowledge and truth according to its motto, but has instead turned into a place for crime and a venue where administrators exploit their positions to pursue personal and group interests. Based on the current situation, we see that this is not only about these two cases, but also other issues, such as the mismanagement of UNTL’s student fund box, to which each admitted student contributes $20 annually. This includes spending that does not meet actual needs, resulting in the university canteen not operating until now, despite funds being used for its construction. There are also other cases of abuse of power and sexual harassment that have occurred in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMCS),” said spokesperson Rio Davio at Friday’s press conference.
He continued, explaining that the university structure and certain lecturers try to protect each other from accountability for their misconduct. Reality shows cases involving lecturers and faculty heads in FMCS such as abuse of power and sexual harassment that still have no final decision. Similarly, in the Faculty of Philosophy, there are cases involving the former Dean that also remain unresolved, which indicates that the university authorities are not serious about addressing cases within UNTL and instead act as protectors of each other.
“We call on the Pro-Rector for Internal Quality Audit Affairs to continue carrying out their duties, especially to audit UNTL’s student fund box, to which students contribute, and also audit the canteen built at the central campus that until now has not been operational. We also urge UNTL’s Disciplinary Council to investigate individuals involved in these cases and enforce the university’s internal regulations, as well as to speed up the resolution of the FMCS case, where until now there has been no final decision on the lecturer who committed sexual harassment and abuse of power,” emphasized spokesperson Rio Davio.
He also called on the university’s highest body, the General Council of UNTL, to take appropriate measures according to the university’s rules against those who have been notified as suspects in these processes, so they do not continue engaging in irregularities and damaging the image of the National University of Timor-Lorosa’e (UNTL). He further urged those currently under judicial suspicion to resign from their positions, as their actions have not demonstrated good leadership.
Reporter: Domingas
Photo: Domingas