Aniceto Guterres Lopes
Aniceto Guterres Lopes | |
---|---|
President of the National Parliament | |
Assumed office 19 May 2020 | |
Preceded by | |
In office 5 September 2017 – 2018 | |
Preceded by | |
Succeeded by | |
Personal details | |
Born | Maliana, Bobonaro | 16 April 1967
Nationality | East Timorese |
Political party | Fretilin |
Occupation | lawyer |
Aniceto Guterres Lopes (born April 16, 1967 in , East Timor[1] is a Timorese politician and human rights lawyer.
Early life[]
On December 7, 1975, Lopes and his family fled the country to , Indonesia to escape from the Indonesian troops that invaded East Timor.[2] Upon their return to East Timor a year later, the Lopes family discovered their village of Tapo was destroyed, and moved to Maliana.[1]
Education[]
In 1985, Lopes studied law at the Udayana University in Bali,[3] after obtaining a scholarship from the governor of East Timor.[1]
Politics[]
While studying in Indonesia, Lopes joined the National Resistance of East Timorese Students (Portuguese: Resistência Nacional dos Estudantes de Timor-Leste (RENETIL)) in 1989. Lopes was in charge of relaying political information to and from East Timor and other parts of the world.[3]
Career[]
After moving back to East Timor in 1991, Lopes worked for a NGO in Dili.[4]
From 1992 to 1996, Lopes served as the secretary general of the (ETADEF).[5]
Lopes began his law practice in 1996 by starting a law firm in East Timor where he represented clients in cases where human rights were violated.[4]
Yayasan HAK[]
Lopes co-founded the Human Rights and Justice Foundation (Yayasan Hukum, Hak Asasi dan Keadilan, abbreviated as Yayasan HAK[6]) in 1997, when East Timor was still ruled by Indonesian armed forces. The organization offers legal services to human rights victims,[3] and records violations of human rights.[2] Lopes led Yayasan HAK from 1997 to 2002.[7]
United Nations[]
At a special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in 1999, Lopes spoke about the problems he and other East Timorese were encountering during Indonesia's occupation of East Timor.[2] Lopes explained that Indonesian supported militia destroyed his home and office in September 1999. Lopes mentioned that he had also been receiving death threats because of his position as a human rights lawyer.[2] Lopes was sworn in as a member of the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor's Transitional Judicial Service Commission in 2002.[8]
Truth commission work[]
Lopes was named as a commissioner of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor (CAVR) in 2002, during the UNTAET administration, and elected as chair of the commission.[5] The commission lasted until 2005 and looked into cases of human rights abuse that occurred during the invasion of East Timor.[9] He also served as a commissioner on the Indonesia–Timor Leste Commission of Truth and Friendship.[10]
Political career[]
Lopes is a member of FRETLIN, one of East Timor's major political parties. He was first elected in 2002 and would become his party's parliamentary leader. In 2017-18, when FRETILIN was in government, he was president of the National Parliament.[11]
Accolades[]
In 2001, Lopes was named as a fellow of the Ashoka Innovators of the Public.[4] Lopes was also awarded the 2003 Ramon Magsaysay Award of Emergent Leadership, for his courageous stand for justice.[3]
References[]
- ^ a b c "Lopes, Aniceto Guterres Biography". rmaf.org. Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation. Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ a b c d "UN Commission on Human Rights - Special Session on East Timor: Statement by Aniceto Guterres Lopes". reliefweb.nt. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ a b c d "Lopes, Aniceto Guterres Citation". rmaf.org. Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation. Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ a b c "Ancieto Guterres Lopes". Ashoka.org. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ a b "Commissioners sworn in to lead Reconciliation Body" (Retrieved on February 15, 2008)
- ^ "Yayasan HAK". Reliefweb.
- ^ "Magsaysay awardee wants to give prize to east timor people". ucanews.com. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
- ^ "Members of judicial service commission swore in". un.org. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
- ^ "Truth Commission: Timor-Leste (East Timor)". usip.org. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
- ^ AJAR. "Commission for Truth and Friendship Indonesia-Timor Leste (CTF)". Asia Justice and Rights. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- ^ Catholic News Service (6 September 2017). "New East Timor leader says he's ready to work with church, society". Crux. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- 1967 births
- Living people
- Presidents of the National Parliament (East Timor)
- East Timorese lawyers
- Ramon Magsaysay Award winners
- People from Bobonaro District
- Fretilin politicians