Timor-Leste Women’s Parliamentary Group (GMPTL) has called on the Ministry of State Administration for Territorial Management (MAE) to suspend the position of the head of the Lauala village in the Ermera district who is accused of offences related to the sexual violation of a child known as SAC.
GMPTL president, Member of Parliament (MP) Josefa Alvares Soares said the victim, who is an orphan, was taken by the village head from Lauala to Dili under the guise of opening an account for her to take receipt of welfare funds allocated to her.
However when the pair arrived in Dili, the village chief called another man who picked her up in a car and took her to a pre-arranged place where he sexually violated her.
MP Soares said the village chief then took the girl back to Lauala, and threatened to kill her and her remaining family should she tell anyone what had occurred.
She said MAE had an obligation to suspend the village head from his position so he could be tried for his alleged crimes in court.
“He, who should be a father to his people, has failed toprotect and defend his people but instead sells his people.It cannot be tolerated and he is not worthy to be a leader,” MP Soares said at National Parliament.
The incident occurred in late September last year when the victim was 14-years-old.
She is now staying at a shelter house and is pregnant.MP Jacinta Abu Cau Pereira condemned the village chief’s actions, saying they represented the issues of exploitation, child prostitution and human trafficking which plagued Timor-Leste though no-one was willing to admit the problem.
The MP said as an Ermera woman herself, she was disappointed and called on the Ministry of State Administration and Territorial Management to condemn the village head.
She said the chief must be suspended so authorities can conduct an in-depth investigation.
She said the attitudes towards this sort of incident must be improved to make communities peaceful and secure.
Secretary of State for Promotion of Equality (SEPI) Idelta Maria Rodrigues said she was shocked when journalists asked her questions about this case as she had not heard about the incident before this.
“I will call the shelter house to ask for information because I have to know the chronology, so I can know and take action,” SE Rodrigues said.
She said sexual acts between minors and adults were crimes that would not be tolerated.
Minister of State Administration and Territorial Management Jorge Teme said the organization had not made a decision on the fate of the village head as the investigation was on going and the responsibility to make a ruling rested with the courts.
He added MAE will cooperate with the Public Ministry.
“If the court rules that the village head was involved in the criminal sexual violation of a minor, he will lose his position automatically,” Teme told TVTL.
