Car-Free Days During the Pope’s Visit in Dili

Dili 16 August 2024

The Pope will be visiting Dili from September 9 to 11, 2024. The government, along with Catholic Church authorities, has been preparing to host a series of events. According to the schedule, the Pope's major Mass will be held on the afternoon of September 10^th  at Tasi-Tolu, a designated event field for large gatherings. The Pope’s other activities will take place at various locations, including the National Cathedral, the Dili Convention Center, and other sites. The Pope will be staying at Lecidere, the Vatican’s residential compound in Dili.

According to sources quoted by UCANEWS, 700,000 out of 1.3 million Timorese are expected to attend the Mass on September 10. This indicates that the majority of Timorese Catholics are profoundly enthusiastic about the Pope’s visit. However, there are concerns about whether such a large number of people can be accommodated at the Tasi-Tolu event field. It is likely that some attendees will follow the Mass through various media, such as TV, social media, and radio.

The organizing committee is managing pilgrim registrations based on their domiciles. The 13 municipalities will be clustered and organized according to the venue layout. If the estimated large number of pilgrims does flock to the venue on that day, it will represent the largest gathering in the last 24 years.

Dili is a relatively small city, spanning only 7 kilometers from east to west and 3 kilometers from the coastline to the hillside. Most of the habitable land is densely packed with housing and buildings. Dili has only two major avenues in the city center, and there is just one access road leading to and from Tasi-Tolu, where the Mass will take place.

Plans are in place to suspend city traffic during the events. Only emergency vehicles will be allowed to operate in Dili, and traffic from the municipalities will be restricted from entering the city. Public sector offices and schools will be closed, while private offices and international agencies will work from home. These measures aim to reduce city traffic and ensure smooth event operations over the three days.

Instead, people will be required to walk to get around. Pilgrims coming from outside Dili will need to walk from nearby areas to Tasi-Tolu. This will significantly alter the Dili's original face. despite only for three days. There are several benefits to this arrangement, including reduced air pollution, increased physical activity, and improved public health. However, there may also be challenges and impacts. Therefore, the committee needs a detailed and coordinated plan to manage and mitigate any unintended effects on the Pope, the pilgrims, and the Dili community at large.

Can We Learn Something from This?

Yes, the lesson is that as Dili continues to grow, it may face challenges in accommodating such large events in the future. Population growth and urban development are consuming the limited land area, leaving little space for traffic and causing potential issues. Unanticipated population overcrowd and traffic congestion could result in significant social, environmental, and economic losses. Therefore, planning the city with effective public transport, pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, and improved accessibility will make Dili more livable but also more prepared for a better future visits from the Pope or other foreign dignitaries. With that we will avoid total shutdown of traffic that may shock the city's dynamics.  

We still need to see the capacity on how the whole system would work to balance the Pope's safety and security while also minimizing the impact on the daily lives of Dili residents. 

*I hope this gives you an inspiration.  

Tasitolu Klamar Inspirativu Isin Kulafur, Amo Papa Mos Bele Doko Ulun

Dili 20 Abril 2024

Nudár nasaun kuaze maioria absoluta ho populasaun religiaun kristaun katólika, Tasitolu hanesan sítiu istoríku legendáriu. Iha 12 Outubro 1989 Amu Papa João Paulo II visita mai Timór iha tempu neba. Gerasaun sira ne’ebé momentu partisipa iha funu hasoru Indonésiu sira sai sasin no sira sente duni Tasitolu nain sira nebe invisível hamutuk ho sira. Tanba ne’e sira baráni halo asaun demonstrasaun kona ba ukun rasik an hasóru Amo Papa maske iha rísku tebes ba sira nia moris. Hau senti katak Vatikánu no mós Roma sei iha rekordasaun istória rai didiak hela iha sira nia biblioteka. Wain ema sira iha nebá lê lívru ou vídeo ruma sira imagina fatin ne’e nudar fatin sagradu tan ne’e espera katak mantein ho diak. No sira sei mai konfirma diretamente iha fulan Setembru 2024.

Iha okasiaun eventu festa independensia tinan 2002, ita ninia lideransa sira designa Tasitolu sai hanesan jardim ba dame. Tasitolu hanesan símbolu ba Amo Papa nebe lori dame no esperansa ba Timoroan iha moméntu neba. Tanba istória no kultura Timor oan sira gosta oho malu, vinga malu, ódiu malu, no laran moras ba malu (pior liu até a data), entaun designasaun Tasitolu nudar jardim dame ne’e bele fo inspirasaun ba povu hodi fó liman ba malu hamutuk maun alin hodi halo desenvolvimentu atu ensi ukun an nebe sosa ho ruin ho ran.

Iha tinan 2024 ida ne’e, Amo Papa Francis atu visita mai iha Timor-Leste. Fatin ba Amo papa ninia atividade prinsipal maka halo misa konsetra iha Tasitolu. Delegasaun husi Vatikánu, konvidadus, no povu no sarani tomak sei konsetra hotu iha neba. Preparasaun agora namanas los. Komisaun organizadora husi estadu prepara hela fatin refere, liu-liu konstrusaun palku atu Amo Papa hamrik hodi halo misa bá. Foin dadauk iha loron hirak liu ba  ita akompanha iha sosial media, kordenador komisaun organizadora husi estadu no tékniku (teki-niki) sira hakilar malu no haksesuk malu kona ba asuntu tékniku iha Amo Kardeal no Representate Vatikánu ninia oin. Ida ne’e atu hatudu katak kordenador sira mesak kátolika puru no fanátiku ate to’o haksesuk malu (ne’e o nia masin kaut maka ne’e).

Ho istória Tasitolu ninian, naran Tasitolu agora sai nudar sentru atensaun ba ema hotu tanba valores ne’ebé partinente ona. Maibé aparensia físika (tampak fisik) hanesan ema kbit laek ne’ebé temi nia naran deit mas lá iha liu atensaun. Tasitolu hanesan lá haris komesa husi tinan 1989. Iha tinan 2002, fo saráni tia maibé bé sani maran keleur tona. Ema sira ne’ebé fo sarani mos agora lao dok ba fó sarani ema seluk iha fat-fatin. Entaun Tasitolu Helena deit to’o agora. Wain hira Amo Papa atu mai visita, apa sani sira lufu-lafu kuru be’e hodi fó haris, pinta kintu-kantu nune’e bele fó impresaun katólikismu tebes. Krédiku imagem diak hetan ba lideransa no polítiku sira. Maibé ha’u fiar katak Ema ou Lider klase hanesan Amo Papa Francis, iha ninia matan rasik, tilun rasik, no sentimetu rasik atu bele haré Timor-Leste nudár povu. Nia sei lá fiar absoluta deit impresaun sira haré husi atendementu protokolu, no mos aparensia sítiu físiku iha ninia rute viagem liu ba-mai iha sidade. Tanba sasan sira ne’e hetan konstrusaun ho objetivu atu simu los deit Amo Papa.

Tasitolu nia naran inspirativu maibé isin kulafur. Ita haré tok Tasitolu nudar ground zero ba Amo Papa João Paulo II iha tinan 1989. Kapela oan sei manten ninia estrutura intaktu. Maibé area kapela lá iha baliza protesaun ruma. Ema bele asesu ba-mai tun-sae ba laran konforme. Lá iha jestaun ida  kona ba asesu ba Kapela designadu dehan sagradu. Lá iha siguransa iha areadores Kapela refere tanba ne’e kualker atividade ema bele halo iha neba. Bele toba iha neba, hein transporte públiku, namora, hemu tua, bele, bele mos hein malu atu sae ring iha neba. Estrutura kapela ne’e mos tuan ona, sumentu reboka sira monu sai, ema pinta tun sae no seluk tan nebe halo kapela refere lá serve duni ninia status nudar fatin sagradu.

Tasitolu nia âmbitu klamar no isin extende ba liur tan. Lagoa Tasitolu maka sai hanesan karakterístika natural. Maibe Lagoa refere agora foer tanba ema soe foer iha neba. Ema soe foer sintinia, fase ropa foer, no lixu sira. Lagoa hanesan habitat ba animal raru sira, habitat mos ba biodiversidade ne’ebé presiza mantein hodi halo balansu ekosistema moris nia iha sidade Dili. Maibé tanba foer, karakterístiku natural sira ne’e komesa lakon ou lakon neneik; nu fim ekosistema bele at nune nia afeta ba meiu ambiente eg geral iha Tasitolu no Dili laran tomak.

Aspetu seluk ne’ebé bisa-bisa halo Amo Papa mos doko ulun maka habitasaun komunidade. Abitasaun ho klase favela buras tebes iha área refere. Maske iha 2002 Tasitolu hetan sarani nudar fatin sagradu no mos sai jardim ba dame, laiha esforsu neing ida atu bele realiza visaun refere. Ida ne’e indiskutivel tanba realidade maka hatudu. Priméiru, Tasitolu seidauk iha planu integradu ida atu bele envisiona ninia status hanesa fatin sagradu no jardim ba dame. Iha inisiativu agoismu, individualismu, grupuismu, no elitismu ne’ebé maka ita rona dala barak iha media. Hanesan projetu hotel Pelican Paradise, projetu edifísiu parlamentu nasional, no mos projetu husi Ministériu turismu nebe kala nain hira oan  tur koalia ba malu hasai kedan desenhu kona ba koseitu desenvolviment fatin sagradu Tasitolu. Inisiativu hotu sira ne’e lá han malu ho visaun Tasitolu nebe sarani ona. Nune mos, ita bele hare, inisiativu hira nee sei iha mehi deit no halo publisidade deit. Maibe laiha ida maka implementa too agora.

Buat sira hanesan guvernu planu laiha, visaun laiha, kontrolu laiha no asaun laiha maka fó espasu ba habitasaun favela nakonu ona. Duke hein atu guvernu bele realiza ninia visaun Tasitolu hanesan jardim ba dame no fatin sagradun, povu ninia visaun maka prevalese uluk tia ona. Povu ninia planu no asaun maka manan uluk ona duke guvernu ninia planu no visaun. Povu sira hanoin katak laiha planu ba Tasitolu, laiha regulamentu nebe maka konsistente no responsavel entaun sira invade tia area refere tanba nesesidade harí hela fatin. Povu lá bele dunik hein guvernu atu kria kondisaun ba sira tanba lentu liu entaun sira foti inisiativa rasik tanba nesesidade urgente. Uma hanesan nesesidade básika ba ema ida. Populasaun aumenta ba bebeik iha sidade Dili maibe espasu lá nato’on atu akomoda. Hela area Tasitolu maka mamuk, luan, no free, hein fali k? gass Brooo.

Nu fim komunidade kria rasik sira nia habitasaun, forma rasik sira nia ordenamentu habitasaun baseia ba nesesidade maibe laos baseia ba padraun ruma; sira rasik fornese sira nia infraestrutura basika, no mos sira rasik halo gestaun baseia ba sira nia kapasidade finanseira. Guvernu só ba halo sensus deit no mos ba organiza hodi tuir eleisaun parlamentar, presidensial, no eleisaun chefi suku deit. Restu, entrega tomak ba nain sira halo rasik.

Ho ida ne’e kondisaun lá dignu tanba sira harí uma ho materia nebe ho kualidade temporariu, ho kustu baratu entaun sira nia hela fatin lá seguru. Dala ruma anin mai bele sobu lalais, udan mai be bele tama. Konsekuensia seluk fali maka infraestrutura básika lá adekuadu tanba na’in sira kria tuir ninia kapasidade. Entaun soe foer be bot no ki’ik lá tuir pandraun higeniu ninian; laiha fatin soe lixu doméstiku nune halo susuk barak mos. Kondisaun hira nee bele afeta ba populuasaun sira ninia saude.  

Kondisaun físiku ida seluk maka kona bá lao dalan kareta ou motor (Estrada) iha rai luan Tasitolu ne’ebé lá iha planta arrangamentu espasu ruma. Rai luan Tasitolu babain sai fatin atividade konsertu no kampanha no tividade festivu seluk sira. Tanba laiha planta ba Estrada entaun ninia konfigurasaun hare hanesan ramu ai parapa nian. Estrada tutan-malun tesik-malu laiha orientasaun klaru. Kuandu ita lao maka kria rasik Estrada iha kampu luan refere. Hanesan los iha alam bebas.  

Atividade sira seluk nebe lá kompativel ho visaun sagradu no jardim dame ida seluk maka sai hanesan fatin ba aprende kareta ou kondus kareta; iha mos servisu terminal transporte públiku temporáriu mos, iha fatin paragem nebe uluk halo atu atende ba kareta sira nebe mai asiste eventu ou festa boot 20 de maiu iha Tasitolu. Maibe tanba to’o agora laiha terminal transpote públiku harí iha neba atu bele atende nesesidade servisu transporte públiku nian ba movimentu trafiku mai husi parte Loromonu nian, entaun uza ona sai terminal. Atividade sira ne’e kuaze akontese tuir situasaun no gostu deit. Nune povu mos toman at ona hakarak bá hela iha iha kualker fatin tuir gostu deit.

Jujusrly speaking, Tasitolu kuandu rona iha palestra ruma, iha diskusaun ruma, no iha publisidade ruma isin fulun hamrik kedas. Maibé bá visita tok, Amo Papa mos bele doko ulun. Hau espera katak komisaun organizadora bele fo independensia ba Amo Papa atu bele hili lao ba areadores palku misa nian hodi hasoru povu sira iha favela Tasitolu. Laos hasoru deit maka ema no fatin nebe kriadu tanba iha osan nebe alokadu. Hanesan aeroportu, hotel no palasius sira. Ho nune maka Amo Papa bele hasoru duni povu puru no igreija puru iha Timor-Leste. Nune mos atu bele hare tok Amo Papa doko ulun ou lae.

*Espera katak artigu nee bele fo inspirasaun ruma.

Do Timorese Politicians think about Public Transport development Timor-Leste?

Dili 07 April 2024

The only way to answer the question is to interview or ask them directly. But it is undoable for the people like us. You can’t just go and toss random questions to them. Public forums and discussions are the occasions where this kind of question should be raised. Media journalists should expand their visions to that of stimulating the horizon of those politicians sitting in the National Parliament, and government offices to brain storm, to create regulations, and initiate policies and planning on Public Transport development. The Public Transport sector is comparably almost neglected even though it is the most utilized, the closest, and the most affordable mode of transport to low income and poor people on grass root level both in rural and urban areas.

Public Transport in Timor-Leste develops itself since the independence. Public transport vehicles are made available by individuals for business purposes. A kind of conventional regional busses and microlets (mini bus) were left by the Indonesian era; they now are obsolete and inoperable through license screenings. Public transport operators purchased individually new vehicles from abroad. This means that the fleet conditions are getting upgrade due to the initiatives taken individually by private operators. The recent introduction of Tum-Tum (an electric three wheeled motorcycle) by individuals is another example of the Public Transport has developed itself.

The government has many different roles in the development of public transport. However, it so far exercises only and limited to regulation and compliance of policy and regulatory framework. For example, it performs vehicle registration, inspection, driving license issuance according to the regulations currently in place; a lot of fines and catches are made as a result of enforcement. However, the government ignores the roles it should play to improve the individually-provided public transport services. For example, the government is not present in performing public transport planning and development, collaboration, leadership and innovation. As a result, the status quo has not changed.  

The status quo shows poor public transport services. The population in Timor-Leste is expected to grow resulting in higher trip demand, additional vehicles on the road and congestion, as well as more congested public transport operations. However, there is no planning for public transport service provision that can respond to the future demands.  Poor public transport vehicles that can affect safety of passengers, public transport services do not have adequate connectivity to jobs and services, limited oversight on efficiency, safety, convenience and attractiveness. This makes people do not feel attracted to use public transport. The most retarded condition is that public transport facilities such as terminals, bus stops, bus layovers have not even rehabilitated, not to mention, upgraded; and public transport service scheduling does not even exist.

Whereas there is a lot of potentiality that public transport can contribute for a modern of Timor-Leste. There is a huge percentage of low and even poor population. This group of population can only afford to use public transport as a means to access health, education, and market. If there is no connectivity, inadequate, unsafe public transport, it makes life even harder for them. More, public transport as a basic need for transportation, it can also help the economy as well making efficient movement in cities, Dili city in particular; public transport facilitates tourism. A unique benefit applies for Dili city; public transport will help reduce the pollution due to its mass capacity, then eventually improve the air quality.  

It is proven that the politicians from era to era have not thought about developing public transport in this country. Therefore, there has no change since independence. There is no point to pay attention to it because politicians don’t use public transport anymore; What they think about instead is use the public resources to maintain powers, enjoy privileges given by the state, and pay attention to joining WHO and ASEAN that can promote their popularity in the global arena.

*I hope this gives you an inspiration