Dili, January 8, 2025 (Média Democracia) – Rede Ba Rai Consider the actions taken by SEATOU is brutalism and agaisnt acts of the destruction of the houses of the people in Fomentu II. This press release was held at the Haburas Foundation Hall, Farol, Dili.
In the introduction of the National Coordinator Rede Ba Rai, Hortencio Pedro Vieira said that Rede Ba Rai destruction or eviction power had a negative and significant impact on the lives of vulnerable groups and community. This impact is more spread to the social, psychological, health, and education impacts especially destroying the life of groups that are vulnerable to women, children, adults and disabled people. Rede Ba Rai observed that the way of destruction and the power of eviction occurred since the beginning of 2025 carried out by SEATOU, still continue with the same attitude in 2024, use power or force, not comply with law and human rights.
Continue to a press conference by the MC from Rede Ba Rai, Imaculada Gouveia Leite that Rede Ba Rai sees that the act of SEATOU to destroy community homes with a total of 361 houses in Fomentu II, on January 2, 2025 This action was carried out with systematic violations and planning, from This ninth government and carried out bandalism behavior because it destroyed the homes of people who had great consequences for community life.
“Loss of confidence in the security and stability of the community is losing home, they not only lose their homes but also their beliefs about security and stability as citizens in the RDTL country. Vulnerable groups continue to face the threat of eviction, in the future the economic community is vulnerable when they lose home, they will move and continue to live in informal places, such as living on the river, under the bridge where they will continue to face threats In the eviction and destruction that continues in the future. Therefore, it will add health risks, difficult to access in situations, health care and access cleaning.” She said
She added that the ninth government did not comply with community rights to homes and the right to land separation for community homes without legal procedures, this caused unpleasant rights to the houses and the state that had regulated the RDTL constitution, the law on land no. 13/2017, Law Expropriationno. 8/2017 including the International Convention and Pact that has been signed and adopted by the Timor-Leste government.
“Loss of daily income, vulnerable groups most of their income comes from filtering sand, weighing cans and selling merchandise by walking, with this procedure makes their lives suffer more accents and get food and maintain their daily lives. Young boys and women will leave education that has a strong impact on students, especially like the current time starting from new classes and students start school. In cases like this, students must leave their school because they have to move and also because the education center is a far and inadequate facility, especially for girls and disabled people.” She added
She continued that the impact on women is as heads of family or have the main responsibility to care for families, when in this destruction they must live in a new place or now they live under the CPLP bridge, in this situation can limit them to access resources, land, and formal work. With destruction and eviction like this adds more intentive communities, especially women’s vulnerability to the economy and social.
“The exploitation of the SEATOU authority made destruction in Fomentu II, on January 2, 2025, when SEATOU did this action, most of the people did not exist because some of them visited families in the village, when they had returned home they were destroyed, making them traumatized, causing more poverty due to loss of goods and their homes, therefore, human rights, especially in vulnerable groups. The truth is that this country must protect the rights of its people at home and land, very sad to see them leaving their people without understanding to prepare an alternative place for the community when it rains, is hot, and wind.” She added
Rede Ba Rai gives some recommendations to the state when they want to move people from their homes who have a big impact on the rights, security, and daily life of the community. Therefore there are laws that are declared not allowed to expel people from their own homes, and we recommend as follows;
- The government has the right to expel people in just a few situations and must implement the process of expelling people and truly care based on national and international laws that already exist in Timor-Leste, especially national law which is regulated as follows;
RDTL Constitution
Law 13/2017, Definition of the Main Regime on the Land of the Owner
Law 8/2017, Law Take a takeover on public unity
Legal Decree 6/2011 concerning Compensation on State Land
Law 1/2013, Juridik regime about property
- The state can expel the obligations that are occupied illegally in the personal dominy and dorminy of the country’s society. But to do this must have a legal decision that this land does exist in the State and the State must process based on what is stated in Law 13/2017
- The government can expel people from their homes when they have a legal decision that others are landowners, but this must be based on all processes stated in Law 13/2017
- The truth is SEATOU’s competence to maintain public space that can be accessed by everyone. SEATOU does not have the competence to implement administratively or decide this land belongs to the State or risk area. Now, in Dili, SEATOU has expelled many communities from their homes on the grounds that the land belongs to the state. Interpretation of public space as an area accessed by everyone for example, roads, parks, and others.
Reported by : Press Release
Picture by : Domingas