Dili, January 9, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The Fomentu I community is working together again with the state to continue the demolition of their homes and move them to the municipality while asking the government to provide good conditions for them.
According to the Fomentu I community, Januario da Silva, he has lived in Fomentu I for 14 years because he was forced of needs, but as a citizen of this country, he is ready to work together with the state to make Dili a good city in the future.
“As a citizen of Timor-Leste, I am ready to cooperate with the state, but I am sad because they treat us as poor people with undignified conditions. We are ready to fix this country because previously my parents also fought for the liberation of this country.” He said.
He continued that this country is independent, everyone lives freely but in reality the people continue to suffer because the government moves them from their place to another place in an undignified manner and harms the future of the children.
“We want to be relocated to the municipality, but we ask the government to prepare transportation to take us to our place. We also ask the state to speed up the recovery because we see the current conditions of rain, this has an impact on us especially the children.” He added.
He added that during his stay in Fomentu I, everyone lived in a simple family with a stretch of fields and river sand. Although he always faced risks in the area, but still trusted each other to build gabions on the riverside to be safe from flooding, but the state decided to carry out evictions but as residents are ready to work together again.
As the village head of Fomentu I, Luis Camões said that 92 families were being relocated, with a total population of more than 500 people who would be evicted by the state and would be relocated to the municipality in the short term.
“Currently, the community has started to evict their homes because last year the government through SEATOU and the Dili city government had carried out evacuation for families in vulnerable/risk areas in three sub-villages, such as Fomentu I, Fomentu II and Moris Foun.” He said.
He added that so far, the community has been waiting for an official notification letter from the state so that the community can know the exact date in order to prepare themselves before leaving the place to be resettled in their respective areas.
He added that as a local government on behalf of the community, he felt very concerned because many people had lost their jobs, especially children who went to school here, because if they moved to other areas, the children would be under great pressure because they always depended on their parents.
Reported by : Nelfiano
Picture by : Nelfiano