{"id":19201,"date":"2024-09-07T15:34:51","date_gmt":"2024-09-07T06:34:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neonmetin.info\/buletin\/?p=19201"},"modified":"2024-09-07T15:58:19","modified_gmt":"2024-09-07T06:58:19","slug":"government-makeover-dili-in-preparation-for-pope-franciss-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neonmetin.info\/buletin\/2024\/09\/07\/government-makeover-dili-in-preparation-for-pope-franciss-visit\/","title":{"rendered":"Government \u2018Makeover\u2019 Dili in Preparation for Pope Francis\u2019s Visit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Reporter David da Costa & Ato Lekinawa<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dili is undergoing a dramatic transformation in anticipation of Pope Francis\u2019s visit, scheduled for September 9. Street vendors who traditionally sold coconuts and vegetables along key routes in the city are now facing significant disruptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rozito Freitas Soares, a coconut vendor from Pantai Kelapa, is among those adversely affected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI usually sell by the beachside of Pantai Kelapa, where I could earn $50 or $60 a day. But now the government has banned us from selling in that spot, so we\u2019ve had to relocate. Here, we can only make $10 or $15 a day. I am saddened by the loss of my usual income,\u201d Rozito said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite his economic hardships, Rozito expressed support for the Pope\u2019s visit, appreciating that it aims to address issues affecting both the poor and the wealthy. Pope Francis is renowned for his advocacy for the marginalized and his criticism of economic inequality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the government\u2019s announcement of the Pope\u2019s visit last February, Dili has seen sweeping changes. Authorities have evicted residents from homes near main streets and areas where Pope Francis will hold Mass. Inoc\u00eancio Xavier, a researcher with Asian Justice and Rights (AJAR) Timor-Leste, has voiced concerns over the evictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThose houses have already been demolished by the state, but compensation funds have not yet reached the bank accounts of the displaced individuals. Now, people are living in tents while awaiting the transfer of funds, with no clear timeline,\u201d Xavier explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He stressed that funds should be transferred to bank accounts before displacement so people can rebuild or pay for alternative housing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, kiosks selling coffee, food, and coconuts at Largo Lecidere have been removed. Many vendors, who relied on these sales to support their families and fund their children\u2019s education, have been displaced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll I am asking is for the government to create a designated space, like a fruit market in Lecidere, where we can sell coconuts,\u201d Janio Pires told Independent Media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dili has also become notably quieter as main roads are being washed in preparation for the Pope\u2019s arrival. While some view the cleaning as beneficial for public health, it is also seen as part of Timorese tradition for hosting distinguished guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe preparations for receiving Pope Francis reflect Timorese customs of hosting. When no guest is expected, there\u2019s no change. But when a guest is coming, the house is thoroughly cleaned. This tidiness often fades once the guest departs. Our concern for hygiene tends to be seasonal,\u201d noted Josh Trindade, an expert on Timorese culture, in a Facebook post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the Pope\u2019s reputation for accessibility and engagement, his visit may not fully capture the everyday realities of ordinary Timorese citizens. Security measures are stringent, with alerts issued that prohibit physical contact with Pope Francis during his travels and public appearances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In light of these measures, vegetable vendors have also been displaced. Government staff recently destroyed their products, justifying the action as necessary for maintaining the city\u2019s image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are not acting outside the law. Street vendors undermine the city\u2019s image. We will continue to seize goods sold on the streets, and those who do not comply should report to the prosecutor\u2019s office,\u201d stated Germano Santa Brites Dias, Secretary of State for Urban Organization, in a press conference today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Pope Francis\u2019s arrival approaches, Dili\u2019s transformation underscores the complexities of hosting a high-profile guest while managing the needs of its residents.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Reporter David da Costa & Ato Lekinawa Dili is undergoing a dramatic transformation in anticipation of Pope Francis\u2019s visit, scheduled for September 9. Street vendors who traditionally sold coconuts and vegetables along key routes in the city are now facing significant disruptions. Rozito Freitas Soares, a coconut vendor from Pantai Kelapa, is among those adversely […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":19202,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"amp_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[63],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19201","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-notisia"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/neonmetin.info\/buletin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19201","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/neonmetin.info\/buletin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/neonmetin.info\/buletin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neonmetin.info\/buletin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neonmetin.info\/buletin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19201"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/neonmetin.info\/buletin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19201\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19203,"href":"https:\/\/neonmetin.info\/buletin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19201\/revisions\/19203"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neonmetin.info\/buletin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19202"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/neonmetin.info\/buletin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19201"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neonmetin.info\/buletin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19201"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neonmetin.info\/buletin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}