Kaikoli Village Chief Hipolito Marques Sarmento threatened to demolish houses built on drains in Kaikoli, as during the wet season the water always floods people’s homes.
“I myself walked with the Deputy Prime Minister, and said one day we will demolish them and at that time, the community will agree to have them demolished,” said Village Chief Sarmento in Kaikoli, Dili.
He said he already told the community and asked them not to build houses in areas categorized as dangerous, where their homes could be flooded.
“They like to think they can build homes on drains but we will demolish them and they agree that if the government says they will demolish them, then they can,” said the Village Chief.
Meanwhile, Kaikoli resident Jose de Jesus agreed with the plan to demolish the homes built along the path of the water, so they wouldn’t be inundated when it rains.
“During the rainy season, we the community of Kaikoli are underwater because the drains are occupied by people and they block them,” he said.
De Jesus called on the government to demolish the homes quickly.
Member of Parliament Eladio Faculto said housing in Dili was slowly becoming tighter, as foreigners had bought a lot of land in Timor, so the community built homes elsewhere.
However according to him, this could be dangerous for the community’s lives.
“I also study at UNTL and we conducted research and I saw that in Lahane there were several families in danger,” said MP Faculto.
He explained those who had money built homes in good condition but those who had no money built homes on hills, and while they flatten the land to build when it rains they are in danger.
“We also saw that with the drains, they were blocked and couldn’t run, so in the dry season people discard litter inside and when the rain comes it floods people’s homes,” said MP Faculto.
Therefore he called on the government to study the issue to find a solution to the problem.
“If it threatens lives who will carry the weight? The state will, because the government did not give attention to the community,” he said.
