Dili, January 23, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The Secretary of State for Topographic Affairs and Urban Organization (SEATOU) together with the technical team of the Ministry of Public Works accompanied the dialogue with the community affected by the widening of the public road in the Fatumeta sub-village, Bairo-Pite village, Dili.
According to SEATOU Germano Santa Brites said that the meeting with the joint team led by SEATOU as the government’s Secretary of State had forced the joint team to work throughout the region, especially in Dili.
“This meeting was held because all parties have accompanied the joint team’s work in implementing the development program, especially road widening in Dili, because last year it had started to be planned, but there had been no dialogue with the community, so now dialogue with the community is being carried out to work together with the government.” SEATOU said.
He emphasized that if the road widening is carried out, it will affect all public places, including residents’ homes, barracas, and stall, all of which will be affected by the road widening, for this reason cooperation with the government and the state is requested.
“If the house is state-owned and the land is privately owned, talk to Terras, a joint team is working, the problem of house identification from Public Works, they come and identify the house how many meters long, how wide, how high, that is Public Work’s job. We as good citizens must work together so that the road widening can run well, we are the ones who enjoy it,” he said.
He added, based on the road widening design starting from Bairo-Pite Fatumeta to the DIT highway with a distance of more than 1 km and a width of 14 m, the ones affected are the houses of residents located in front of the road.
“We are trying hard to improve this city so that it can develop, but some of us do not want to cooperate, if we do not want to cooperate, who else will improve our situation, some of our leaders come and talk, we must also provide support so that development can progress, do not fight them. Asking for more than the formula data taken by Public Works, the formula is already a national standard, the standard is very unchangeable, if we change it we have to go to the Council Ministries to remake the law, we can’t even change 10 cm. The Council Ministries has approved the law and will bring it to the Parliament, then it will be discussed, if it is not approved then development cannot be carried out. So, we as good citizens must work together.” He explained.
On the other hand, the Head of Bairo-Pite Village, Joaninha Alves Soares emphasized that in order to remove people from their homes, especially the government’s plan to widen the road, all processes must treat the people with dignity, must provide compensation or pay for the goods removed, so that the people can use the money or goods to rebuild their new homes.
“The government that evicted residents from their homes, not the enemy, meaning the government must use law to see that conditions, must also cooperate with the government, especially SEATOU and MOP to carry out their duties, continue to request that people who are evicted from their homes are easy, but it must also be made easier to provide compensation to people who are considered victims of the government’s plan for national development.” She said.
In addition, SEATOU asked the community to cooperate with the government, and the government gave one month to start preparing to vacate the place.
Reported by : Tomas
Picture by : Tomas