On September 22nd, 2026, in the village of Mehara, Tutuala Administrative Post, Lautém Municipality, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão unveiled the Monument to Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes, in tribute to the former Apostolic Administrator of Dili and to his contribution to the Timorese people during the occupation. On the same day, a monument in memory of the guerrilla fighter Tomás Fernandes “Malik” was also unveiled in Poros.
The ceremony in Mehara included the blessing of the monument by His Eminence Cardinal Dom Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, Metropolitan Archbishop of Dili, and by Dom Leandro Maria Alves, Bishop of the Diocese of Baucau, as well as a Mass of Thanksgiving presided over by the latter.
Members of the Government, veterans of the Resistance, representatives of the Catholic Church and public institutions, municipal and local authorities, family members, students, and members of the Lautém communities attended the ceremonies.
The monument marks Mehara’s connection to an episode in the history of the Timorese Resistance that occurred 44 years ago, when Xanana Gusmão met clandestinely with Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes during a period of reorganisation of the Resistance in Ponta Leste.
During his visit to Lautém, which began on September 20th, the Prime Minister visited several sites associated with the Resistance and shared with journalists, veterans, and community members his memories of reorganising the struggle following the intensification of Indonesian military operations in the late 1970s.
The Head of Government recalled the journey between Matebian and Ponta Leste, the reorganisation of the Resistance forces, and the creation and consolidation of support networks among the population. He also referred to the period he spent in the Oi region, where he studied guerrilla tactics and analysed the difficulties faced by the Resistance—a location he described as a “guerrilla university”.
This process prompted efforts to establish contact with various sectors of Timorese society, including the Catholic Church. In this context, on September 22nd, 1982, Xanana Gusmão and Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes met secretly at Liurai Miguel’s house in Mehara.
According to the Prime Minister’s account, the meeting enabled an explanation to Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes of the changes introduced at that time in the Resistance’s orientation, with greater emphasis on national unity and the struggle for self-determination, moving beyond previous political and ideological divisions.
Xanana Gusmão further recalled that documents containing information on the situation in the territory and the reorganisation of the Resistance were handed over to Monsignor Martinho to help raise awareness of the situation in Timor-Leste abroad.
The meeting took place under heavy military control and required security measures. Tomás Fernandes, known by the nom de guerre “Malik”, born on September 14th, 1960, was part of the security detail for the meeting and died on September 22nd, 1982, after being shot by Indonesian military forces.
In his memory, the Prime Minister also unveiled, on September 22nd, in Poros, in the village of Mehara, the Monument to Tomás Fernandes “Malik”. The monument commemorates his role in protecting the clandestine meeting between the Resistance leadership and Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes.
In the days leading up to the unveilings, the Prime Minister also visited other historic sites in Lautém linked to the reorganisation of the Resistance. On September 21st, he travelled to Paichau, in the hamlet of Malahara, village of Maupitine, accompanied by former combatants, to recall the Resistance forces’ journey through Ponta Leste and the support provided by local populations at the time.
Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes served as Apostolic Administrator of Dili from 1977 to 1983 and distinguished himself during the period of occupation by speaking out against the situation faced by the Timorese population and defending their dignity and rights.
The installation of the monuments in Mehara commemorates the events that took place at that location and helps preserve the memory of the people and episodes that were part of the history of the Resistance and the Timorese people’s struggle for independence.