Timor-Leste holds hearing on Burma crisis
Timor-Leste’s Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice (Provedor dos Direitos Humanos e Justiçe, PDHJ) hosted the “Public Hearing on the Human Rights Crisis in Myanmar” in the capital Dili on May 27. The PDHJ, Timor-Leste’s national human rights commission, listened to testimony from seven human rights defenders from Burma.
“We can engage with parliament and government officials both within our country and across [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN] to address the human rights crisis in Myanmar. This includes highlighting the challenges faced by human rights defenders in Myanmar, which must be prioritized,” said Virgîlio Da Silva Guterres, the PDHJ ombudsman.
The public hearing was also supported by civil society groups, including Progressive Voice, ALTSEAN-Burma, and the Initiatives for International Dialogue. Dili has been outspoken in its support for a return to democracy in Burma since the 2021 military coup. Government officials, including President José Ramos-Horta, met with the National Unity Government (NUG) Foreign Minister Zin Mar Aung in July 2023.
