At the National Parliament Building in Dili on Wednesday, there came a woman from the town of Los Palos in the District of Lautem. Her name is Artemicia Rodriques Silva, a resident of the Kota Bemoris neighbourhood in the Village of Fuiloro, Sub-District of Lospalos.
She came carrying her child, who is still an infant. Her face was sad, her eyes clouded, occasionally gazing at the ceilings of the Parliament building, occasionally looking at the people's representatives, but not in a hurry to say what she wants to.
She is looking for a certain representative of the people whom she trusts very much and who is able to express her case which has impacted on her life for more than 5 years. She looks intently at the people's representatives one by one but remains quiet and calm. The person for whom she is looking has not yet arrived. After waiting for a long time, that person turns up. It is Engineer Mario Carrascalao, who is the President of the Social Democratic Party (PSD). Artemicia has her own reasons why she must meet with Engineer Mario Viegas Carrascalao.
The reason is not because they are related and not because of politics. Certainly not. The reason is that she remembers Mario's commitment during the Indonesian period. For 10 years (1982 - 1992), as the Governor of Timor Timur (the then 27th province of Indonesia - trans. note), Mario cared very much for the poor. He cared very much for all of the woes of the people who were suffering.
He even secretly supported the youth of East Timor in their clandestine activities when the TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) wanted to eradicate them. During his term of office, Mario made Friday the day for the "little people" to meet personally with him in his office in the Governor's Office (now the Government Palace). Through the Friday meetings, he helped many of the poor and really understood what the people needed. That is the main reason why Mrs. Artemicia came to the National Parliament yesterday.
Upon seeing Mario, she immediately went up to him and told him the problem that she has been experiencing. As is his character, Mario stopped immediately and asked her what her problem was. The problem is this. On 10 February 2002, her shop in the centre of Lospalos was burned down by a certain group. The shop building and all of its contents were burnt to ashes. She suffered about US$4000 in losses.
She lodged a complaint with the police asking them to pursue the perpetrators of the arson but the police have not been able to catch them. The case has been considered closed. She also took her case to the Lospalos Sub-District Administrator and the Lautem District Administrator. She asked the local administration to help lighten the burden that had struck her - at the least, to help her with a small amount of money to re-establish her shop. But the local administration paid her no attention whatsoever.
Artemicia said that after the arson, it was really hard for her family to live. "I have 9 children. All of them small. My husband, Yusuf Suba, has no job. I have no capital to re-open the shop. Since 2002, I have hoped that the district government would help me to reopen my business - but nothing. Until now, the district government has not given any attention to this" added Artemicia sadly.
During the Alkatiri government, when the National Parliament was presided over by Francisco Guterres alias Lu-Olo, she came to Dili. She met directly with Lu-Olo in the Parliament building to tell of the disaster that she experienced. But Lu-Olo just shrugged his shoulders and did nothing.
Then, in 2007, she returned to Dili and met with Estanislau da Silva (member of the Fretilin faction) to report her case to him. But that came to nothing too. On 14 May, she again came to the National Parliament building to meet with Mario Viegas Carraslao to tell him about the problem she has. In her heart, she believes that Mr. Mario can help to lighten the burden that she has borne for more than 5 years.
“I hope that Mr Mario will be the person who can help me at last. I believe that he gives great attention to the fate of little people like me" added Artemicia, full of hope.
She came carrying her child, who is still an infant. Her face was sad, her eyes clouded, occasionally gazing at the ceilings of the Parliament building, occasionally looking at the people's representatives, but not in a hurry to say what she wants to.
She is looking for a certain representative of the people whom she trusts very much and who is able to express her case which has impacted on her life for more than 5 years. She looks intently at the people's representatives one by one but remains quiet and calm. The person for whom she is looking has not yet arrived. After waiting for a long time, that person turns up. It is Engineer Mario Carrascalao, who is the President of the Social Democratic Party (PSD). Artemicia has her own reasons why she must meet with Engineer Mario Viegas Carrascalao.
The reason is not because they are related and not because of politics. Certainly not. The reason is that she remembers Mario's commitment during the Indonesian period. For 10 years (1982 - 1992), as the Governor of Timor Timur (the then 27th province of Indonesia - trans. note), Mario cared very much for the poor. He cared very much for all of the woes of the people who were suffering.
He even secretly supported the youth of East Timor in their clandestine activities when the TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) wanted to eradicate them. During his term of office, Mario made Friday the day for the "little people" to meet personally with him in his office in the Governor's Office (now the Government Palace). Through the Friday meetings, he helped many of the poor and really understood what the people needed. That is the main reason why Mrs. Artemicia came to the National Parliament yesterday.
Upon seeing Mario, she immediately went up to him and told him the problem that she has been experiencing. As is his character, Mario stopped immediately and asked her what her problem was. The problem is this. On 10 February 2002, her shop in the centre of Lospalos was burned down by a certain group. The shop building and all of its contents were burnt to ashes. She suffered about US$4000 in losses.
She lodged a complaint with the police asking them to pursue the perpetrators of the arson but the police have not been able to catch them. The case has been considered closed. She also took her case to the Lospalos Sub-District Administrator and the Lautem District Administrator. She asked the local administration to help lighten the burden that had struck her - at the least, to help her with a small amount of money to re-establish her shop. But the local administration paid her no attention whatsoever.
Artemicia said that after the arson, it was really hard for her family to live. "I have 9 children. All of them small. My husband, Yusuf Suba, has no job. I have no capital to re-open the shop. Since 2002, I have hoped that the district government would help me to reopen my business - but nothing. Until now, the district government has not given any attention to this" added Artemicia sadly.
During the Alkatiri government, when the National Parliament was presided over by Francisco Guterres alias Lu-Olo, she came to Dili. She met directly with Lu-Olo in the Parliament building to tell of the disaster that she experienced. But Lu-Olo just shrugged his shoulders and did nothing.
Then, in 2007, she returned to Dili and met with Estanislau da Silva (member of the Fretilin faction) to report her case to him. But that came to nothing too. On 14 May, she again came to the National Parliament building to meet with Mario Viegas Carraslao to tell him about the problem she has. In her heart, she believes that Mr. Mario can help to lighten the burden that she has borne for more than 5 years.
“I hope that Mr Mario will be the person who can help me at last. I believe that he gives great attention to the fate of little people like me" added Artemicia, full of hope.
car http://www.suaratimorlorosae.com/details.php?id=12790&now=2008-05-16 translation ww2008
East Timor Law and Justice Bulletin - Latest legal news, information and analysis from Timor-Leste in English.
East Timor Law and Justice Bulletin - Latest legal news, information and analysis from Timor-Leste in English.
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