My Team in Planning Arena

After several years of being outside of the spatial planning arena, I now come back to it again. Even though planning in this country (Timor-Leste) is still extremely challenging, through the institution where I am working right now, with the Team, we would like to try something that we could from our end. From small and trivial things, take time, but the effects will deep rooted, and then materialize later.  

I was recently given a responsibility to lead the Team to plan land use surveys in Dili. This is a regular activity that the Ministry of Planning and Territory (MPT) has put in its portfolio to be done regularly every year. This year, the MPT tried to pilot the activity. The urban land use surveys are important because it is necessary for the institution to understand the baseline situations, and to compile and create an organized data base for any future’s land use policies.

Our team conducted a three day training to surveyors.  The surveyors are students from the National University of Timor-Leste. We conducted the training from 18 – 20 August 2021.  I just started now to work with new people whom I have never met before.  This is a new beginning. I found out that even though we are still facing managerial, and office facility challenges, but by working together we can achieve our objectives.

We did our training well. Everyone contributed by playing their respective roles. The Team Members are young and energetic. They are fresh professionals in planning, architecture, and economics. Something that I found interesting here is young people are excited when it comes to professional works. They are interested to involve when there are clear objectives, directions, and tendency of good team management.  All would involve fully, and feel own the activity.

*I hope this gives you an inspiration.

Lagoa of Comoro River Estuary

Rivers when flown through by storm water in rainy season become extremely overwhelming, and intimidating.  Runoff water flows ragingly along the banks, erodes anything on its way even the concreted riverbank walls. People who live nearby are usually anxious, afraid of being affected. But how it feels when the water filling the river stays calm and static?

Comoro River is seasonal. It gets water when there is rain. No water remains after the rain; the storm water usually goes straight down to the sea because of the short distance of upstream to downstream. The river empties in short time. The river then becomes dried, dusty, and barren. What worse are sand diggers or miners excavate the deposit or materials for sell. This mining activity is not a very good thing for the river to stay intact to serve its functions.

After all the downside, the Comoro River estuary shows something that could be tapped and enjoyed buy the community in Dili. The estuary got filled by seawater after high tides in recent weeks. The seawater intruded up to like 400-500 meters long to the upstream. The water then trapped after the tides transported sands and closed the way out.

The trapped water now stays inside the enclosed estuary. There, a small Lagoa (lake) created. The water stays calm allowing mosses, small fishes, and other biodiversity around the area start to form. Birds and other animals get a new plaza at the side of the river to roam around. The Lagoa looks very natural and fresh in the morning time.

The Comoro River estuary is a public space. Some people go there to exercise; not only that, it is one of the best sunset spots in Dili. When this small lake formed, it adds more attraction not only for the biodiversity but for people. Many people go there to take photos. The main features that they would like to capture with when they take photos are the lake itself, the sunset, and some part of the sea body. The whole area of the estuary is now getting more photogenic. 

I was sitting on river protection wall while looking over the Lake; the water is so calm, and beautiful. It is so relaxing that I could listen to the sound of birds, and feel the gust of wind that is so fresh. I was thinking that whether the government can do something to this estuary in a long term plan.  It needs some engineering intervention to keep the Lake stay longer and public infrastructure arrangement as well. I was imagining if in the future, the lake does not only serve as photo spot, but also paddling of small canoes. This is mostly considerable when I think about the development of Dili International airport. Tourists could see this when they fly overhead. This calm water makes people to come closer and love rivers more instead of afraid of it.

**I hope this gives you an inspiration. 

Sea, Air, Land, and Underground Strikes on Dili City

Today’s morning I walked down to the beach to see the impact of the tidal floods happened yesterday afternoon, 28 May 2021. It affected several beachfront houses, and roads. The beachfront area of Pantai Kelapa, and Bebonuk were the most affected. The tides tore off some of the squatter housing located on the beach, and the tides even crossed the road and flooded some of the houses on the other side. It did not cause deaths but it did disrupt the traffic, and damage some squatter housing making the people to evacuate for a few hours. The event was warned already by the Meteorological Agency of the Government. The agency predicted that there were possible high tides, and wind storms due to ….bla..bla (dunno scientific terminologies). People were asked to be vigilant, particularly at the beachfront.

This is another strike on Dili city, which I call it Sea strike. The beachfront areas in Dili are prone to tidal floods.  People are living in the beach which makes them the first layer to be hit by the high tides. The impact won’t come next year but is happening now and will just intensify as there are no mitigation measures taken to relocate the current squatters, and prohibit future development at the beachfront. Just for you to imagine that somewhere up to the area of Caicoli will below the sea level just in 50 years. Please imagine! For me, if there are no adaptation measures taken to prevent sea water to flow as far as Caicoli, for sure, the prediction will surely be proven correct; and it means our children won’t see Palacio do Guverno anymore.

Before these tidal floods, there was a huge Air strike on the Dili city occurred two months ago. The government declared a state of calamity due to the heavy rains occurred across the country from 29 March to 4 April which resulted in flash floods. The floods affected a sizable area of Dili. It inundated approximately around 90% from the total across the country- or 25,881 households in Dili municipality, and 41 Fatalities in total. The impacts of Air strike will intensify due to the climate change, poor land use plan, and disorganized physical development. 

Also I have got a few friends who fly drones. They showed me pictures of how Dili got Land strike very hard after heavy rains. People living in the upstream of the city, and notoriously on the hills, they have also been hit very hard. Landsides on the hills and river bank erosion caused houses literally yanked out from the ground. There is no hope to recover from this kind of damage because rebuilding means soil ground stabilization first which I think impossible for individuals to afford. If they keep living in the same area then, I will let you to imagine.

As the city grows and being burdened by mass production of load and the weakening ground prop, underground strike is also possible. Dili city’s underground water is being sucked out as the population grows. Now, population of Dili is around 300k; underground water is exploited uncontrollably, and this is not good for the stabilization of the ground for the future. I remember, the city of Jakarta, some experts predict the land subsidence is happening often, and the city will collapse.

Lately, Dili city is being hit by disaster from rains, storm water floods, landslides, tidal floods, and possible land subsidence. Well, like a war, you have to understand the nature of your enemies, also like where they will strike from. Now it is important to study those disasters that have occurred, and try to do something carefully, and systematically to solve. The country has been independent for about more than 20 years, but most things done are responsive not preventive.  I take the analogy of war because it might be easily understandable because I have seen recently that most Timorese are interested to talk more about Israel and Palestinian war instead of their own problems.

 

 ** I hope this gives you an inspiration.

Trail Shaped by Nature

“When left alone, the nature eventually takes over.” This is what happens to the circular road right at the toe of Cristo Rei’s statue hill. The road was progressively damaged by waves. I remember the first damage occurred years back. It was just news without intervention until the road paralyzed and is totally out of service. Ever since the road had not been in use and impassable by cars.

Some people complained for this long abandoned road never came back to open because it could be an alternative route for them to go to Hera, and on to the East side of the country. Dili residents similarly have limited options to go farther of the coast line of Cristo Rei. They have to park the cars in the other side and then walk to Dolok Oan.

The abandoned road has shaped a new character and serves new functions.  Trees and grass have outgrown the used to be asphalt and concrete surface. The trees getting taller and the grass getting thicker in the rainy season. It is a new space for birds, and other animals to live in. The sound or birds quite relaxing; while walking, you could also see the sunlight shines through the tree canopy. This has shaped a new character of this area as before.

This nature-shaped character made the road is not for cars anymore but people. People go there for jogging. It is a place to go farther if you want to be alone; it also becomes a fishing spot. Locals and even foreigners go there for fishing, both day and night times. The road severs the new functions.

Since the abandoned road could also provide benefits for the environment, and the people, what do you think that this place should be for? to restore the function by rehabbing the road to bring back the cars or Keep as it is now for people to enjoy the nature, and their leisure time? I will leave it for you to answer if you are from Dili. 

** Hope this gives you and inspiration

Green Building Concept in Timor-Leste

It had been a long time not hearing about green building, neither in a public discussion, or reading a public document. I don’t know whether the green building concept is not for the country like Timor-Leste which is struggling to cope with many basic priorities. But, thanks to UNDP who brought up the green building concept into the public arena. It was this year in March 2020 before COVID lockdown phenomena, UNDP organized a green building workshop, and I was excited to attend the workshop.

The goal of the workshop was to mobilize individuals and organizations to discuss about the concept, and possibly UNDP, under its project scheme, would recruit a potential individual or group to design a green building prototype. The winner will get funding, and the prototype will then be built. I have been asking around to ex-participants of the workshop if UNDP has done with the prototype and what is the actual green building project? It would be interesting to see the outcome.  

The workshop was a very good event to talk with engineers, architects, professionals, and even private developers who are interested to work on sustainable building technology in Timor-Leste. The concept was not new to all the participants. Media bombards news about climate change and its impacts to the society, and the world. The participants have been aware of the importance of climate change mitigation, and adaptation from the angle of built-environment. It was recognized that the building industry and its embodied energy is one of the biggest that emit a lot of CO2 to the environment.

Even though every discussion on the green building concept started always from the global climate change context, some were discussing more about how the green building concept can benefit the local before global. For example, they discussed about how to tap existing local resources for cost efficient and other multiple benefits coming out of this. However, the challenge of adopting the green building concept into the very own local context requires a lot of research and innovation. This kind of attitude is the most important one. And I think future discussions should be local-focused, and that everyone in the circle should weight the benefits of using green building concept in making their building, or community.

In our Timor-Leste, it is difficult to define exactly where to start. However, bringing the concept into the public arena often time is enough, at least. I am sure that some of sustainable design professionals do have green principles already in mind when they make designs. The action might still be sporadic, and that a community of professions in the area need to make the concept widely recognized, and have well-structured, and even more ambitious one is to have TL’s own green building design principles. Minister of Public Works also attended the workshop, so it can start with public buildings, and public built-environment.

**Hope this gives you an inspiration.

Policy of Second-Hand Cars Import

It is kinda ridiculous when I hear the government will stop importing second-hand cars in the name of climate change with no clear details. I went to my home town, Lospalos two weeks ago. Even the national road has improved, I barely encountered vehicle enroute in every 20 minutes. Another reality is, in remote villages, you cant even find any public transport. So the communities have to use their eleven transport (walking) to anywhere they need to. I cannot imagine, if only brand new cars allowed in this country, what it would be like.   

I watched the statement of Secretary State of Environment saying that by working with the Ministry of Transport, they will make a policy to stop second-hand cars import. The objective of this policy is to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from motorized transport sector. It is, indeed, a fact that global motorized transport GHG emission is quite contributing to the global warming, but not our per capita emissions. I don't search numbers, but I am confident on my feeling that our transport GHG emission is negligible compared to other emission sources. For example, I heard that deforestation is the leading source of emissions in Timor-Leste. 

I mean, doing something to tackle climate change does not have to be like what big countries are doing. The big countries whose roads are now crazily packed with cars stop importing certain ages of cars. And even some roads only allow certain types of transport such as electrical cars that have no emissions at all. We can work towards the same cause, but the efforts have to be adjusted into the local context.  

Instead, there are some local issues that the government must work and focus on to reduce air pollutions in Dili city that in parallel will reduce transport GHG emissions. For example, what the government has done to sort out very old yellow taxies, mikrolet, dump trucks that are now sill in operation? what the government has done to develop public transport? infrastructure for people to walk? and good drainage system that reduce dust? 

I think those are the classic and complex issues that are priority. We need to adjust our climate change mitigation or adaptation efforts into these contextual issues. I personally agree on the policy of reducing second-hand cars import, but the policy has to consider many aspects, realistic, and rational.    

**hope this gives you an inspiration.  

New More Improved Walking Space

Lately we have seen frequent asphalt laying activity in Dili. I am totally in favor for this kind of policy because paving urban roads can improve accessibility, safety, aesthetic, and health as well. Maybe other than water and electricity, road improvement should come more often as well. The direct benefit for me is I can walk safely and comfortably in many more neighborhoods. I feel like changing my path in every walking would boost the mood, and it would also add new urban experience at once.

My existing preferred walkable routes are Timor Plaza - Ponte Habibi road, seaside road, grid roads of Colmera, Lecidere, and Farol. But now the list adds up to Kampung Alor  - Ministry of Finance building, and I would love to try deeper neighborhoods. But let me dream first for this because it is not safe to walk there, for example, into part of Comoro neighborhoods.

    

We understand that the road improvement does not include the complete components. But at least one by one should start, other components can follow later. For example, improving incomplete sidewalks, restoring sidewalks taken over by on-street parking, installing street lights, etc. 

** Hope this gives you an inspiration 

Housing for FALINTIL Veterans

Source

 

I am one of you who respects very much of the sacrifice of our best independence fighters or FALINTIL Veterans. I mean, Veterans, the ones who hid in deep mountains for 24 years fighting. They sacrificed their own wellbeing, life convenience, family members, almost everything, I would say. With that being said, we are now independent.

Today is FALINTIL's 45th anniversary. In the last 20 years of our independence, it is not fair to keep seeing that some of the Veterans even live in a worse condition than the time living in the mountains. They are getting sick but no adequate health services, they don't even own or entitle to a house. I saw Facebook posting today showing a veteran lives in an old Indonesian-built house given by neighbor. You can imagine, how ironic it is to see an independence veteran lives in such situation while opportunists live luxurious?

Getting adequate housing is a basic right for every citizen, but housing for FALINTIL Veterans is a right and obligation as well that this country has to provide. The state has to initiate a proper housing program that covers improvement of living conditions.  We must recognize that the pension fund that being paid to the Veterans is far from enough to improve their living conditions.   

It is impossible to build a house with $200 (maybe a little more) bucks monthly pension money; thus providing housing separately will be a miracle. They State has to come asking them where to build the house, to what extent their housing need is, and thus suitable, and adequate housing can be provided. 

The kind of mainstream public housing is not going to work for the Veterans. For example, relocating them all together to one place, same size of building, the worse is without sustainable basic infrastructure such as water, and electricity is only to make their living condition worse than improving.

When we call housing is not simply about a bunch of buildings constructed and lived in by human beings, but a home for the Veterans. The housing has to match with their needs, their capacity to maintain, their home to feel happy living inside. Providing housing to the FALINTIL Veterans is a proportional appreciation to their sacrifice. 

**Hope this gives you an inspiration.

  

Visit to Washington DC

Washington Monument 

Coming to the US without visiting its capital is like leaving behind a curiosity unsatisfied. There are many reasons why; Washington DC as the Capital of the US is distinctively a pleasing city for those who try to pause to visit hustle bustle cities like New York, Chicago, and others; it is a city that offers America’s political history for visitors to learn, to experience, to even dissent on some events that the country has caused in the world. We, each of us, might have been indirectly affected by the US foreign policies or decisions at some point. It could be bad or good.

Thinking about Washington DC reminds me of my own country’s history that a US former Secretary of State made a decision to support Indonesia to invade East Timor. The decision was made down there, DC, and this is something to which I connected myself psychologically before landing my feet on its ground to explore more and more and more.  Nevertheless, I was not going there to probe. Instead, to see how Americans built a capital city in which federal government servants and politicians live and work.