Dili, March 5, 2025 (Média Democracia) – Communities affected by the road widening of Becora, Camea and Ailok Villages are dissatisfied with the second stage of land marking carried out by MOP technicians because there was no coordination with the community to measure additional land of 2.50-3 meters.
The victim of the road widening in Becora Village, Lito Rambo, said that as members of the community, they collaborated with the state based on the existing decision to offer 2.60 meters of land to the state.
“As citizens we want to collaborate with the state based on the decisions that the state shows, because the state is the highest, we as citizens we obey the government’s decisions for the sake of our national interests we have agreed, that the first decision the government wanted to take 2.60 meters we have agreed, but then in the second decision they wanted to take another 2.50 meters and another 3 meters, I think that should be discussed properly.” He said.
He said, previously the government came and had conveyed the mechanism to the community to obtain compensation for land owned and houses built on the land owned.
“In the first meeting, the government had discussed with the community in three villages and we agreed including me, but in this second decision we feel we also have our own plan to diversify our business, that’s why some of us have made investments, made susi with foreigners in the country, the development increased by almost 85%, but this second decision has an impact on the development.” He added.
The government must re-decide this decision so that the people do not become victims of this decision, because the government’s goal is to bring people a better life, guarantee the interests of the people and the interests of the people are how to live in this country and be able to contribute to the country, such as opening a business, paying taxes, paying land, electricity, water taxes and so on.
He emphasized that his party respects the government’s decision, but the government needs to discuss it with the affected communities in the three villages.
“Previously, it has also been discussed and collaborated to conduct community indivision, but the method with the indiction mechanism was not stated correctly how much should be paid per meter of land, because there have been many evictions in West Dili until now we see that they have provided bank accounts but there are no transfers in their accounts, there is no balance,” he said.
Therefore, he said, it needs to be discussed but at least a mature plan must be drawn up, as good citizens, in the first decision they have offered land, even though it is their own land, so in the second decision the government needs to talk to the community, not just force it.
He added that the government is the party with a higher position, while the law is the party with the highest position, because the law is a legal instrument that regulates government decisions and the rights of citizens, therefore the government needs to make decisions that are synergistic and accommodate the interests of the community.
Lúcia Xavier Bobo, also an affected community member, said that she did not agree with the marking of the second land because there was no information from the component parties that directed them to destroy their homes.
“I don’t agree with the second stage, first I just want to tell countries like this, in the first stage the right thing is to give notice first so that most of us don’t do that, they have to tell that you just destroy it, don’t do it when SEATOU gives a sign then you do it.” She said
She also did not agree with the Becora church which would also be damaged, because most of the priests who came to Timor-Leste were already well-known in the media, so why was it that after they returned their church was also damaged, weren’t the Timorese Catholics?
She asked the government, in this second stage, to at least have coordination with the Becora community so that they know then the technical measure it.
She explained that for the first measurement, the government had not yet provided the compensatuon, and the technician who measured it was based at the Becora Church.
“Another one, they gave 1.60 meters, so I gave 2 meters and I asked is it good now or not? Now in the second phase they said, you have to move a little to the back, so I said, okay! A few days ago you came with a plan, now with another plan, a few days later with another plan again, if it’s always like this how can we live, because to improve like this we also need money.” She added
She admitted that she did live on state land, but the state must also know that the state exists because of the people, it does not mean that she does not want to cooperate, but the state must first acknowledge the first stage, now the people have not received compensation in their accounts.
Reported by : Estefania
Picture by : Estefania