Ermera, March 7, 2025 – Adérito Hugo da Costa, the Vice Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and the President of the Board of Administration of Centro Chega! Manuel M. Pereira, in partnership with the Political Conflict Victims Association 1974-1999 (AVKP) handed Uma Memória ba Esperánsa (UMbE) or Memory House to Hope to the most vulnerable lives of the victims such as Amelia Maia de Jesus in Airae, Atara Village, Atsabe Administrative Post of Ermera Municipality, and Natalia dos Santos in Meligo, Cailaco Administrative Post of Bobonaro Municipality. The UMbEs were handed to recognize their contribution to Timor-Leste’s independence. Each house has a size of 9×7. It has 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom and room, and a kitchen. It is completely with an electricity installation, ceiling, and floor with ceramic. Each house spent $ 14,000 to USD 20,000.00 (US Dollars), which included the tradesmen’s fees. Besides, in Atara-Atsabe, the Monument for the Massacre of May 16, 1999, was inaugurated as well.
The ceremony of Memory House to Hope was attended by the Ermera Authority President representative, the Administrators of Atsabe, Atara Head village, Head of sub-villages, PNTL Squadron Commander of Atsabe, Municipality Representatives Veterans and PNDS, and communities around. During the event, Angelmo Pereira, the Head of Atara village, expressed gratitude to Centro Chega! for their support of UMbE for the survivor, Amelia. She rightfully deserves this UMbE as recognition of her vulnerable circumstances.
“I thank the government of Timor-Leste for supporting one of my community members to receive a UMbE due to her life condition being the most vulnerable. On behalf of the village leaders, we recommend Chega! remains to support the other victims by providing scholarships to every child of the survivors to pursue their higher education to survive their lives,” the Head of the Village thanked.
José da Costa Gomes, a representative from the Ermera Municipality Authority, expressed his gratitude to the government for providing the UMbE program to survivors. He acknowledged that the government continues to honor and support these survivors, recognizing them as victims of the war who fought for the independence of Timor-Leste.
Additionally, Domingos Pinto de A. Moniz “Atai”, the National Secretariat Coordinator of the Victims Association 1974-1999, explained that the Association is collaborating with Centro Chega! to implement the construction of the Memory House to Hope.
Manuel M. Pereira, Board President of Centro Chega! Emphasized, Centro Chega! is a Public Institute of the government that is obligated to support the survivors. It has been set under the Chega! recommendations state “the government should assist the victims of past conflicts.” The process for Amelia to receive her house involves several steps. First, she must register in the Information System of Vulnerable Survivors (ISVS) at Centro Chega!. After that, there is a field verification to assess the living conditions of the survivors. This process is conducted in collaboration with local authorities, who survey the area to collect accurate data and ensure adherence to established procedures.
The Vice Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Aderito Hugo da Costa, appreciated the work of Centro Chega! to construct houses for the survivors and the Monument of the Massacres for Human Rights Violations in Timor-Leste. It proves that the Government, through Centro Chega! remains to have attention to the victims of past conflict and those who are in traumatic lives, they are under the responsibility of the government as stated in the RDTL Constitution. He affirmed that this year, Timor-Leste will celebrate the 23rd Restauration of Independence and the 50th year of the Unilateral Proclamation of RDTL. The government has the opportunity to pay attention to the issues mentioned.
“Currently, there is a special public institution that remains to build the memorial works at the massacre location and historical sites as a means of dignifying and recognizing the victims. The Ministry, which is Centro Chega! under tutelage, including the Victims of Association 1974-1999, upraise solutions to support these victims.” The Vice Minister appreciated.
As a result, 20 Memory Houses to Hope have been dedicated to 20 victims from 2021 to 2024. The UMbE is a core program of Centro Chega! based on the Chega! and CVA recommendations. This program urges the state of Timor-Leste to support reparations for victims whose basic rights were violated during the conflict from 1974 to 1999. In 2024, two Memory Houses to Hope were presented to victims from Atara in Atsabe and Meligo in Cailaco, both located in the Ermera and Bobonaro municipalities, respectively.
