04 September 2019

Alarm Rings Again on Infanticide in East Timor


ETLJB has previously published several comments and sources of information on infanticide in East Timor.

The alarm about infanticide continues unabated.

On 22 August 2019 JSMP provided training to members of the village council and community members in Loidahar Village, Liquica Sub-District in Liquica Municipality.

JSMP reported on 29 August 2019, that local residents of Loidahar Village are concerned with issues relating to access to justice: suspended prison sentences, divorce, neglect, infanticide and cases involving members of the Government.

“The participants conveyed their concerns about using violence to educate family members, and that perpetrators of domestic violence have appeared in court but have not been punished and have gone on to repeat their actions, as well as couples getting divorced and neglecting their children, cases of babies being disposed of, as well as members of the sovereign organs being involved in crimes but not being punished.”

JSMP explained that violence should not be used to educate someone, but rather words and other non-violent methods should be used.

On the issue of mothers killing their babies after giving birth but not being punished, JSMP explained that in some cases mothers do not serve a prison sentence. However, in some cases it is very difficult to capture defendants (women and/or men) because it is often difficult to locate the perpetrators.

“In reality community members always blame women, without considering and assessing each case in a detailed and comprehensive fashion,” the report notes.

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