Dili, December 24, 2024 (Média Democracia) – The Alliance Against Infanticide in Timor-Leste (ANCCI-TL) Conference was held to actualize the annual data from January to December 2024. The National Alliance Against Infanticide as an organization that has been struggling hard to combat the problem of abandoned babies in Timor-Leste. The conference was held at the FONGTIL meeting room, Caicoli, Dili, on Monday.
According to the NGO ANCCI-TL MC, José Turky said that as an institution that plays a role in protecting women and babies in difficult times, every year it will universally actualize abandoned baby data from January to December. Every political year the ANCCI institution always actualizes annual data from January to December.
“ANCCI-TL was established in 2014, based on the RDTL constitution article 43 which gives citizens the freedom to establish their own Associations and Alliances. Article 1 states that everyone is free to associate and associate in the form of a legal entity, not to commit a crime, only subject to orders or C-RDTL. ANCCI comes with a vision and mission, namely an alternative plan to reconcile and socialize inclusive political information on the murder case in Timor-Leste. The legal framework in C-RDTL article 29 states that everyone has the right to live, no rights are harmed by others. The state guarantees the life of every person in the convention rights written in several articles in paragraph 1 states that all children have the right to the interests of life, in paragraph 2 states that the state provides guarantees for the survival and development of children.” He said
He explained that in the universal declaration of human rights of the United Nations in article 3 it talks about the right to life, meaning that everyone has the right to freedom and security for themselves. General Assembly Resolution no. 44/25 dated November 20, 1989 in article 1 states that children under 18 years of age including babies still in the womb, the state, parents, and society provide special protection.
“Calculated from 2014 to 2024, each year statistics show that the percentage of abandoned baby cases increases, therefore ANCCI-TL recorded four cases, while looking at 2023 we experienced a decline, because in 2023 five cases were recorded. The efforts made by ANCCI-TL in partnership with PNTL, safe houses and advocacy networks this year have been able to reduce these cases and only four cases have been recorded. This shows that our work is very significant. We could not save the lives of the four cases that occurred this year, because after they gave birth they immediately killed the baby and threw it away, therefore after the community found the baby, they had died and we could not save the lives of the four of them.” He continued.
He underlined that ANCCI-TL has three priorities, such as, Advocacy to relevant sections of society and also religion in order to harmonize cooperation, can guarantee a safe and free society to overcome cases of abandoned babies in TL. Regarding the phenomenon of infanticide in our society is caused by the main factors that will be identified by organizations to find a common solution. The first factor is the tradition of the globalized world that affects Timor-Leste society. The world today many people seek a living based on modern society, that is why the real situation shows that the main ministries must collaborate together to separate Timor-Leste society from infanticide.
“Monitoring or observation of the activities and implementation of government policies related to how the state’s role through related ministries prevents cases of abandoned babies in society, meaning what kind of strategy should the government choose to suppress and minimize acts of infanticide in our beloved country, Timor-Leste. Raising or conducting research and surveys on cases that occur in municipalities including in Dili, then through raising data to become a barometer and indicator for the state, the NGO ANCCI-TL on how to carry out the right policy in responding to hopes and goals that are based on the results of the research seen in municipalities that identify transit abandoned babies.” He added
He further added that ANCCI-TL asked the Ministry of Public Affairs as the owner of the process, to be able to make effective decisions regarding the problems that occur. ANCCI-TL asked young people to continue to care for babies from sexual relations of couples. ANCCI-TL asked the public to fight infanticide in order to reduce the percentage of abandoned babies by 2025. The indicator points that ANCCI-TL recommends to the state, especially to the ninth constitutional government and asks the state as the Executive Body to take a role in order to provide protection against the problem of abandoned babies which is a public phenomenon. Asking the National Parliament as a fiscal and law-making body to also take a role in producing laws with special laws in order to regulate the crime of infanticide which has a high percentage in TL. Asking religious people to take a role in supporting moral education and love life for young people (men) in increasing their knowledge related to abandoned babies who kill God’s creatures offered to a man and a woman through a romantic relationship. Asking the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health as the key to take an adequate role in preventing immoral acts that occur everywhere. Asking online electronic media to take a role in conveying credible factual information to increase public knowledge to fight for the elimination of abandoned baby cases in TL. Asking the local government as representatives of the people to be the eyes and ears of the community has a moral obligation to take a role in conveying information to the community to ensure that the village is free from abandoned baby cases.
Data on cases of infant abandonment in 2024 showed four cases, namely in Dili, Cristo-Rei, Lahane Oriental Village one case, in Manufahi, Turiskai, Caimauc Village one case, in Ermera, Hatulia A, Hatulia Villa Village one case and in Manatuto, Manatuto Villa, Cairui Village one case.
Reported by : Tomas
Picture by : Tomas