The Dying Yellow Taxi

Dili 22 December 2023

Blogging about yellow taxi came up to my mind when, today, I was driving to office. At Mandarin-Colmera junction I was almost hitting a yellow taxi from behind. The taxi does not have brake lights. The traffic light at the time was not functioning, while the taxi was speeding and hit the brake suddenly. I was at normal speed from behind, since there are no rear lights, I did not notice that he was slowing down. I almost kissed his ass.

Public Transport drivers’ behavior in Dili are usually not so friendly; they are also a bit indifferent. They do not care much about other road users’ safety but theirs; traffic rules are less upheld individually until police itself monitor and intervene. Both microlets and taxies pull over indifferently anywhere they are asked to do so by passengers. In Dili, there are no such predetermined buss stops and no such taxi layover stations. Thus, any point they pull over with no indicator lights being used is normal in the city.

Yellow taxi, people call it the legend of Dili city’s public transport. All of the yellow taxi fleet have been aging. Most if not all of them were imported since the beginning of the Independence era of Timor-Leste in 1999. They are now 24 years of age taxi but still in operation; the vehicles are wearing out, machines are obsolete, and their safety apparatus are not working anymore. When people drive and see a yellow taxi in front, they usually say it like a moving tree trunk crawling on the road because it does not have any more of headlights, brake lights, direction indicator lights, windshield wipers, but just a car body that is moving straight or leaning to left for a pull over.     

The legend should be in rest due to the age. They are no longer able to function due to obsolete machines and big number of mileages. Owners of yellow taxi have been desperately retaining the condition with extremely minimum investment to repair to a viable and safe standard. Most of the owners of yellow taxi come from lower-level income class who are desperately trying to survive in the hustle bustle of Dili city. The fact that the owners can’t afford to repair due to financial situation. Therefore, the taxies are operating and owners use the taxies as a source of income to sustain their lives. 

Given such situations, even though the government has a system to control all the operating public transport mode and fleet for safety and operational viability. Yellow taxies are not going to be wiped out by the controlling system but by its own destiny. Eventually, the taxies will die on roads one-day or never wake up anymore again on its last rest of the day. So, people! please drive safe in the streets of Dili. Be patient when you encounter yellow taxies. Yellow taxies are the legend of Dili city that cannot be wiped out until it dies off by its own. Even the government is inevitably keep it due to the complexity to solve.

*I hope this gives you an inspiration

Formasaun Favela Foun Komesa Iha Estuáriu Mota Comoro

   Dili Junho 04 2023

Iha sidade Dili, wain hira meiudia tempu Rai-Manas-Rai-Rahun (RMRR), ita hateke vizinho sorin-sorin hetan deit maka tembok uma oan sira sena malu; fatin ida atu ba hodi dada is netik maka Tasi Ibun. Tasi Ibun sira ne'e hanesan espasu puúbliku gratuita ema hotu hakarak ba tanba núdar sidadaun iha sidade, ita iha direitu ba espasu públiku. Maibé Tasi Ibun sira ne'e komesa okupa hotu ona; okupasaun espasu públiku sira ne'e ninia karáter atu ba iha formasaun favela Tasi Ibun nian.

Hanesan hare iha linha kosteira parte Embasada Japaun - Embasada Korea nian oin. NGO/grupu ativista ambientál sira halo sira nia initiatívu monta roda at oan sira hodi kria fatin tu'ur. Intesaun hirak ne'e kapas tebes, maibé komesa atrai ona atividade komersial não formal sira. Kalan ida iha fulan rua liu ba, hau liu ba husu Alin ida lere hela du'ut. Nia dehan hamos hodi fa'an kafé iha neba. Kondisaun ikus nian hatudu katak roda oan sira ne'e komesa kulafur ona, nakales ona, keleuk ona, ema soe foer arabiru, ema faan nu, faan doce, kareta-motor para konforme tuir idak-idak nia fiar.   

Fatin foun ida atu sai tan nune mos. Area Estuária mota Comoro nian. Fatin ne'e uluk ita akompanha hakmatek tebes ba animal sira. Liu-liu manu sira tanba iha neba sei iha ai hún barak no lá dun iha movimentu populasaun barak. Fatin ne'e mos kapas tebes ba ema sira atu hare loron tun iha tempu lorokoraik. Kompara Tasi Ibun sira seluk, hela ida ne'e deit maka ita sei hare rai luan oituan tanba seidauk iha desenvolvimentu makas.

Iha tinan hira ikus ne'e asesibilidafe ba parte neba, Estuário Mota Comoro komesa loke diak ona ba públiku. Estrada halo konesaun diak entre husi Pantai Kelapa - Ponte Komoro 1 no 2. Iha tinan kotuk Diresaun Nasional Transporte Terestres (DNTT) deside fo tan lisensa rute foun transporte públiku (mikrolet) numero 13. Ida ne'e loke tan movimentu diak ba populasaun sira nebe hela iha area neba. Visitante barak mos komesa ba ona pasiar iha area refere. Initiativu projetu seluk nebe iha impaktu signifikante tebes maka projetu rehabilitasaun ba konstrusaun baragem Mota Comoro parte tasi ibun nian. Projetu ida ne'e hadiak baragem too iha tasi. Projetu ida ne’e mos ateru diak tebes tasi ibun parte leste husi moru protesaun. Iha Mota Ain nian ne’e komesa ateru diak tebes hodi nune kareta-motor-lao mos asesu barak diak tebes hanesan hatudu iha imagem.

Fatin kapas tebes ona. Maibe komesa iha sinál-sinál sira nebe maka hau espilika kona ba Tasi Ibun area sentru nian. Ema komesa hatuur uma oan ida. Uma oan kuaze ho karater semi permanente tanba konstrui ho sumenti, no no hari besi rin sira. Tanba tasi ibun iha neba ne’e luan kapas no estratégiku, ita espera katak fulan ida mai tan, komesa Ramayo ona.

Area Estuário Mota Comoro wain hira lá kontrole maka sei kria favela seluk ida tan fali iha Dili laran. Desenvolvimentu Aerportu nebe maka lao hela dadauk sei atrai tan kriasaun favela. Sei iha Projetu asesibilidade foun ida tan, maka hanaran Ponte Asesu Kampung Marinir. Projetu ida ne’e sei halo fatin ne asesével liu tan nune sei halo movimentu barak. Maibe antes atu halo konstrusaun ba ponte foun refere, favela sei okupa tan Estrada nining sira too iha tasi ibun.  Nia konsekwensia maka estadu tengki hasai tan osan hodi kompensa fali povu sira nebe maka tuir lolos agora dadauk ne’e it abele prevene.

Tanba ne’e sekarik autoridada ruma maka lê hela karik, halo hela buat ruma ba. Primeiru maka prevene atu favela mosu iha neba. Nune aban bain rua Tasi Ibun ne’e reserve ba Espasu Públiku. Segundu maka prevene ema halo favela foun para wain hira projetu Ponte Foun ba asesu ba Kampung Marinir mai, Estadu lá presiza hasai tan osan hodi kompensa ema sira nebe se karik Afetadu.

 

*Espera katak artigu ne’e bele fo Inspirasaun  

Japan Kuru

                                      Photo 1. Japan Kuru in Lautem                                        

Dili, 11-02-2023

In Fataluku Language, Lautem native Language, we call it Japan Kuru. It literally means Japanese hole. Kuru means hole. We call it that way for underground holes or upward structures with wall barrier and roof built by WWII Japanese military. From the style of structure tells that it is for the Japanese military hiding place or military shelter. Some Japan Kuru are made from strong concrete. Many of this concrete type are still exist in many places. As far as my own knowledge, most of them can be found on the Northern Coast of Timor-Leste. Particularly along the coast of Manatuto – Baucau – Laga – Lautem. These are the places where Japan Kuru were strategically placed.  

  

You might have heard or even seen the most exposed WWII Japanese shelters like in Venilale, and other places too. Such these locations are usually close to national roadways, and named as national historical and tourism attraction sites. It is usually significant in terms of size, and its utilization in the past. I call it the mainstream touristic sites. Non adventurous tourists would only look for this kind because of easy access, and well known. 

Actually, there are many single or multiple Japan Kuru found sparsely in certain places.  It requires a little local knowledge to discover, or requires a little passionate hunting walk to look out for it. It is sometimes tricky as well.  Some Japan Kuru look similar to Portuguese fortress; it cannot be distinguished.  For example, the first photo, it is a Japan Kuru in Lautem town. The town used to be capital of Portuguese municipal administration. Thus, several Portuguese fortress, public buildings, and roads were built there. Unless you are a local, you don’t know if that is a Japan Kuru, but Portuguese building foundation remnant. It is barely noticeable without preexisting knowledge. It is only known if you are told by local friends. This Japan Kuru has not been exposed to media due to its insignificant size. 

Photo 2. Japan Kuru In Bui ho Mau

Another, in the second photo site is near Laivai Village, located near Bui-Ho Mau community settlement to be exact. I had not known this Japan Kuru by myself, even though I pass by it regularly, until somebody posted it on Facebook. I am quite a curious person. If I had noticed it, I would go and see it. But as I said before that most Japan Kuru sites are located a little bit far from the main road. Not only that some of Japan kuru which located exactly on the shoreline have been buried due to natural sand sedimentation; some have been taken over by nature. In some cases, locals reuse it for cattle cage.  For your reference I provide a map with generic indications on it. If you visit, you need to do more detailed research on site like asking locals to pinpoint the exact location. 

*I hope this gives you an inspiration.

Public Transport Bus: Kupang (Indonesia) – Dili (Timor-Leste)

Dili, 22 January 2023. 

I like riding public transport bus; I say this because I took bus in my college student times. Among others, why I like taking bus is because of social interaction and travel experience. For traveling, I don’t like go by airplane because I will not see new places along the way. I have done long-haul bus trips. The first one was from Bandung, West Indonesia to Bali. A google map shows me 1k KMs distance. The road geometry is not always straight or highway like. The second one was from Kansas, USA – Saint Louis – Chicago – Iowa – back to Kansas; I did also several other intermittent bus trips in other cities in the States. I am more excited sitting on double decker bus. I could observe things along the way, and much closer.    

Unfortunately, we don’t have public transport bus system here in Timor-Leste. I mean modern bus system. We do have bus services serving Dili city to municipalities. But they are more like transportation means than convenience and comfortability. In the year of 2023, the heyday and unstoppable of innovation and technology in transportation, Dili city, the capital of Timor-Leste does not even have urban bus system. Commuters are moved by microlets a kind of mini bus, and private vehicles. I don’t see a good future for this city if there is no bus system serving as mass transport to move people together so that their trips don’t harm their very environment and global.

It is good news to hear that Indonesian government and Timor-Leste government are about to launch a cross border/cross countries bust service. It is not known when the launch will take place but is seemingly imminent. As the picture shows, the bus is medium size, around 20-40 seat busses from the government of Indonesia which will operate between Kupang and Dili. Timor Leste side is also supposed to do the same. But there is no news yet on the preparation.

Even though the buses are medium size; I think they have ideal conditions for convenience and comfortability. I try so say that the busses are going to be serving with better standards than what we are having here in Timor-Leste.  Those are airconditioned, scheduled trips, organized ticketing system, and of course have professional and licensed drivers to drive.

Launch of the bus service will become a great precedence of transport development here in Timor-Leste. As I alluded previously that there is no improved bus system to start with, this initiative would provide a baseline. What I mean baseline is that we can test the initiative to learn from and improve. It is a test for market, and many other aspects. I don’t expect this project to be successful at this stage because I do believe that the firs test must have failures and that is the only way to bring about better public transport services for this country. There must be a start.

*I hope this gives you an inspiration.  

Structural and Systemic Problems Make Young People in Dili Get Wilder

Dili 07 January 2023

It was heartbreaking to watch the video in which a guy jumped off motorbike stabbing a young boy walking at the street. It happened on 06 January 2023 around mid-night. The young boy was stabbed multiple times until he could barely walk and fell off eventually. According to information he went dead right there at the scene before the police arrived. The video attracted my attention because the way the suspect stabbing is scary. It is also sad to see that young people nowadays are much wilder, and extremely hostile to each other more than my time when I was at their age.

Naturally crimes happen anywhere in the world, even in the most peaceful countries. I consider that as a way the Nature processes, people born to die. But in the case of Timor-Leste. The pattern of young people conflict indicates some structural and systemic problem in this country. I thought that poor education system contributes to this outcome. Young people are not well educated from school, and I would say from family as well. One generic and biased personal observation. When I observe school youngsters grouping along the street of Dili, they are not disciplined. They don’t respect public street norms, they bully each other, they interfere one another, and worst they fight, sometimes. This type of attitude and behavior are brought in to the society eventually.

Similarly, desperation for economy in the country also contributes. What young people mostly do at home is nothing but just sitting in their neighborhoods. There is no work to do because there is no work indeed. I don’t think the State can recruit all people to work for government. Even if there are jobs in industries, they don’t have skills. They become desperate because of the nothing-to-do. They find each other to plan for activities such as drinking alcohol, gambling, etc. These activities are poisons for peace when done in poor society.

All culminates in the martial art fight phenomenon. All these years, after independence, martial arts conflict has become the major reason why people fight each other, it even affects the political and democratic processes. Is it not horrible? In this country, when there is dissenting opinion, defamation, harassment, and other serious conflicts or crimes happen among individuals and community members, most people don’t seek for justice, they don’t go to tribunal. There are many reasons why, but some are because they are not able in terms knowledge, and resources. Another is because they don’t trust the judicial system. Officials in law enforcement entities are partisan because being inclined to their groups' principles. As a result, some people make their own decisions, they act directly, they fight-they kill to feel like getting justice.  

*I hope this gives you an inspiration