Dili, December 9, 2024 (Média Democracia) – On November 13, 2024 at 15:30Otl (local time), a fire broke out in a total of 12 houses in Buki sub-village, Usi-tasae village in Oe-cusse, therefore on December 5, 2024 the Civil Protection Authority (APC) has provided construction material support but each victim uses their own money to pay for transportation to transport the materials to their homes, because the labor and transportation money are still in process and will be paid in 2025. This support was handed over directly by the State Secretariat of National Protection accompanied by the relevant parties in RAEOA.
According to the Head of the APC-RAEOA Cooperative, Marito de Arouju said, the victim data was 12 houses, so the emergency response assistance provided at this time in the form of non-food assistance has been fully distributed. However, for material assistance only 11 houses because among the victims in there is one house which occupied by two families.
“The materials were distributed on December 5, 2024 at the Oe-bau Football field, Costa Village. The materials are like 50 cans or zinc, 25 small and large jerry cans, 50 iron rods, 50 cements including cement spoons, hammers, nails and others. For labor money with transportation around $ 1,000.00 but the money has not been handed over because it is still in process, possibly in January 2025 the APC section will be ready to give to our victims.” Said the Chairman of the APC-RAEOA Cooperative
He informed that before the distribution of material assistance to the victims, APC had coordinated with 11 victim households and they were ready, therefore they would not lose money because it was still in process. He also assured that the Timor-Leste state was always ready to provide financial assistance to the victims in January 2025. These materials were transported from Dili by the Berlim Ramelau ship and three spindle cars and one truck so yesterday each victim came with their own car totaling 11 cars and they paid for themselves at their own expense to transport these materials from the Oe-Cusse villa to their village.
On the other hand, the Head of Usi-Tasae Village, Thomas Colo said, sometimes the community questions the 11 houses that were burned down because the building materials for reconstruction that APC gave to the victims used their own money for transportation costs to their homes, but this was a decision from the APC State Secretariat not because there were no funds but it was still in process.
“I have had a meeting with the victims that if we want to agree, each of you must pay for your own car to transport the materials to your respective homes because the transportation money has not arrived. I do not understand this situation because it is urgent and it is currently raining. I also asked the relevant parties to immediately provide assistance because it is now the rainy season. Therefore, I discussed with the APC that the money can come later, but what is important is that the materials must be given to the victims to rebuild their homes that were damaged by the fire.” He added.
He added that as a regional government, he felt uncomfortable because of what was done like this, but APC had said that the funds would only come in January, so his party guaranteed that the government would exchange the victims’ money.
As a victim Rosario Punef who has a physical disability said that the materials were received by the government by providing complete ones such as cement, cams, iron rods, hammers, meters, nails and others, that is why the materials were distributed at the Oe-bau Football Field, Costa Village in RAEOA, then each was transported from there to Buki.
“I feel sad because APC-RAEOA itself asked us to borrow money to transport the materials, then they said they would return our money in January. They said the money would come last, now we are transporting these materials using our own money, some pay $75.00 and some pay $60.00,” he said.
He continued that as a victim, even though he did not have money, he tried hard to find ways to transport these items to his house. Then he also said that there had just been a fire and several local NGOs and their partners had provided assistance to their homes, but the assistance provided by the government was different because each victim had to use their own money to transport the items to their homes.
He asked the government, especially the relevant parties, to improve the work properly in administration so that in the future it does not make the victims suffer more.
Reported by : Tomas
Picture by : APC-RAEOA