20 December 2012

Brothel operating near Presidential Palace

ETLJB 20 December 2012 - A brothel that has been operating in the precinct of the presidential  palace in Dili was the subject of comments by a Member of the National Parliament.

Timor Post reported on 18 December 2012 the remarks by member of parliament, Domingos Carvailho calling on the State Secretary for Security to instruct the police to forcibly move the brothel to another location in the suburb of Bairo-Pite.

Timor Post reported a statement by the MP saying that when he was washing his car near the presidential palace, he saw many people in the area. "Therefore, I am calling on the competent institutions to remove this prostitution site to another place,” MP Domingos Carvailho said.

MP Carvailho said the Government should decide to move the place of prostitution because it could damage the image of the Presidential Palace.

“The Government is not serious about controlling prostitution which involves many young girls in the country,” he said.

The brothel has been operating near the presidential palace since at least July 2012. On 13 July 2012,  Independente reported on the house which is near the Presidential Palace in Aitarak-Laran, Dili was being used as brothel. At that time, Independente's source said that there were 12 Timorese women who worked at the brothel which has four rooms and two guest rooms.

It was also reported that an Indonesian restaurant in Pantai Kelapa, Dili was being used as brothel with the cost of rooms varying from US$10  to US $15. The money is paid to the owner of the restaurant, an unnamed source said.

East Timorese law does not allow prostitution and people found guilty of engaging in prostitution are liable to five years imprisonment.  

Related reports
Morality, Religion & the Law: Abortion & Prostitution in East Timor
ROCCIPI Analysis of the Social Problem of Prostitution in East Timor 



Source: Timor Post, Independente, ETLJB Edited by Warren L. Wright


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