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Small traders resist eviction

Source
Green Left Weekly - May 2, 2001

Vanya Tanaja, Dili – Thousands of small traders at the Dili market (Mercado Lama) are being pressured to move to two refurbished markets in Comoro and Becora, on the western and eastern outskirts of the city respectively.

The traders have resisted, despite promises made by Dili district officials that the new markets are superior to the Mercado Lama. The new markets were refurbished by Japanese international aid agency, JICA. However, contrary to expectations of the aid agency, the markets lie empty. At the time of the refurbishment last year, much publicity focused on the hope that traders would move to the decentralised locations.

Avelino Coelho from the Socialist Party of Timor (PST), among other political leaders, is being blamed in the local media for encouraging the traders' resistance.

Criticisms of the Mercado Lama area have ranged from poor hygiene, lack of toilet facilities and rubbish collection, and the growth of criminal activity. Since the beginning of the transitional period in 1999, the market has been reported worldwide, including on Australian television, as the source of all unrest. Allegations of gambling rackets, protection rackets and usury surround the market.

The Mercado Lama was built as a market square by the Portuguese, but since then the markets have expanded and now snake through surrounding streets and lanes. A burgeoning row of second-hand clothes stalls are the newest comers to the market.

The market has become completely "uncontrollable", according to many letters sent to the local media. The United Nations authorities have tried to address some of these criticisms by attempting to take down "illegal erections" (stalls outside the market boundaries).

In the middle of last year, eviction notices were pasted onto trees, as the "structures" had no walls or poles holding them up! Portuguese National Republican Guards were posted around the market to direct traffic, arousing much antipathy from taxi and minibus drivers. The market is also a transport hub, due to its central location and the fact that it is the main shopping centre of Dili.

Aside from trying some repressive tactics, the Dili district authorities did not attempt to regulate the market by constructive measures, such as instituting a rubbish collection system or building basic amenities, let alone make an attempt to refurbish the market itself.

The proposal to move the market to the new locations was criticised because the two markets cannot accommodate all the traders and a lottery system for stall spaces was suggested.

Since the proposal was put forward last year, there has been no change to the activities of the market in central Dili. It was reported in the Portuguese section of one of the local newspapers that some political leaders were instrumental in inciting the traders to resist the move.

The PST responded at length. It argued that the people affected should have a role in deciding on the solutions to the problems of the market and that the PST's support for this hardly constituted "incitement". The PST criticised the lack of facilities at the new markets, including the lack of stall facilities, the shortage of toilets and the unclear procedures for rubbish collection, as well as a lack of transport to the new sites. Traders would not move if there were doubts as to the accessibility of the new location to shoppers, the PST pointed out.

It has also been rumoured that a supermarket and shopping centre will be built on the current central location and that this has been the impetus for the renewed vigour with which the relocation has been taken up. The PST asked why such a centre is not located further out of Dili where customers with their own transport, who are most likely to patronise such a centre, can reach it.

The rumour has been denied by Dili district sources. As a result of a visit to Mercado Lama by members of the local advisory body to the UN authorities, the National Council, a motion was passed that stated that the market should be moved in stages. This was an amendment to an original motion put forward by the member for Dili district, Maria Odete Varia, that the market should be moved immediately.

An immediate move would necessarily require the use of force. The PST believes that breaking up the market using the excuse that this would get rid of "criminal elements" would not solve the problem, but would simply move it elsewhere.

"We need to understand why there has been unrest and dissatisfaction in Dili in general and why there is a big move of people towards Dili from the districts", said Avelino.

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