Dili, 05 June 2026 (Media Democracia) – Rede Ba Rai Responds to Justice Minister Sergio da Costa Hornai’s Statement in National Parliament Regarding Administrative Eviction Case in Aimutin Penal Post, Taking a Position and Raising Concerns Over the Eviction Process, Including Impacts on Affected Communities, and Calling for Transparency and Justice in Law Implementation.
Lawyer Júlio da Silva stated that the statement delivered by the Minister of Justice in the National Parliament plenary session lacked a decision and didn’t enter into a judicial process that would allow such a declaration.
“The process, as the Minister stated today, has no decision. They carried out a cadastral process giving opportunity to people who registered state land, but looking at the map, other people had the opportunity. It didn’t enter into a judicial process, so making a declaration isn’t prohibited for anyone. The owner of the state land parcel also declared it, giving opportunity for this from the Ministry of Justice itself, which didn’t provide guidance.” said Lawyer Julio Da Silva at the Rede Ba Rai Hall in Farol on Wednesday.
He affirmed that if people living on the land meet the criteria, a cadastral survey must be opened to give opportunity to those who file claims.
“Because not everyone is involved in the judicial process, of the 52 families, not all are included there. Only 2 people are in dispute with the company Lita Store. The Minister declared in the National Parliament that according to the declaration, it doesn’t bind those people. They aren’t part of this judicial process. Those living inside are considered to have no title, so what is the state doing.” he said.
On the other hand, Rede Ba Rai lawyer Olivio Barros Afonso expressed dissatisfaction with the statement Minister Sergio Hornai delivered to the affected community, saying the statement didn’t correspond to the actions the community faced.
“We feel somewhat dissatisfied with the statement that His Excellency the Minister delivered a few days ago regarding our Aimutin community affected by the eviction process they carried out. What the Minister explained, from us the Rede Ba Rai legal team who also directly observed while accompanying our community members who became victims of this process.” he added.
Juliana Belo, representative of the community affected by the administrative eviction in Aimutin, said that they are still “sitting on water” and under pressure, therefore they need a true and just clarification from the Minister of Justice.
“From the moment the Minister issued the order until now, only the order was handed down, but there was no clarification. There we are still sitting on water and under great pressure, and our children until now are afraid to go to school. Therefore, we ask His Excellency the Minister, who is the highest competent authority on Land and Property, if possible we need your true and just clarification on our rights.” she requested.
Juliana affirmed that if the Minister and the Secretary of State for Land and Property remain silent like this, with interventions also appearing in Parliament, it makes them more doubtful and until today they cannot sit in peace.
Rede Ba Rai together with the community affected by the administrative eviction at Penal Post, Aimutin, held a press conference expressing concern over the eviction process, the impact on affected communities, and asking the Government to ensure transparency, dialogue, and justice for the citizens who are affected.
Reporting: Trainees Novita Soares and Baquita Marcal
Photo: Trainee Baquita Marcal