Aniceto Guterres Lopes
Aniceto Guterres Lopes (born April 16, 1967 in Tapo, Maliana, Bobonaro)[1] is an East Timorese human rights lawyer living in Dili, East Timor.
Early Life
On December 7th, 1975, Lopes and his family fled the country to Builalu, Indonesia to escape from the invasion of 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 (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 Non-governmental organization in Dili.[4]
From 1992-1996, Lopes served as the secretary general of the East Timor Agriculture and Development Foundation (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 HAK) in 1997, when East Timor was still ruled by Indonesian armed forces. The Yayasan HAK offers free legal services to human rights victims,[3] and records violations of human rights.[2]
United Nations
At a special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in 1999, Lopes spoke about the fear he and other East Timoreses were encountering during Indonesia's occupation of East Timor.[2]
Lopes was also swore in as a member of the UNTATET's Transitional Judicial Service Commission in 2002.[6]
Other commissions
Lopes became the chair of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor after it's establishment in 2002.[5]The commission lasted until 2005 and looked into cases of human rights abuse that occured during the invasion of East Timor.[7]
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. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ a b c "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. 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)
- ^ "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.
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