Timor-Leste Petroleum Industry to be Boosted with Three Industrial Cluster Projects

The Timor-Leste petroleum industry will be boosted with three industrial cluster projects on the south coast. It also includes the development of a coastal zone from Suai to Beaco, which will support the growing domestic petroleum industry. According to reports, the Tasi Mane, the name of the sea between the south coast of Timor-Leste and Australia, will include the Suai Supply Base (SSB) cluster in Camanasa, the Betano Refinery and Petrochemical Industry cluster as well as the Beaco LNG-Plant cluster.

Research by La’o Hamutuk, a non-governmental organization, in 2012 found that the SSB project will be established on land that was being used for agriculture, for raising cattle, docks for fishermen and salt farms. In January this year, Radio Rakambia saw that the government had compensated only some people. Moreover, nothing has been said about where the farmers would be resettled. The people of Suai appealed the government to help them resettle so that they can continue with their lives.

Afonso Nogueira Nahak, the administrator of Covalima Municipality, said SSB will create employment for the communities throughout Timor-Leste and the people of Suai Covalima can take advantage of the opportunities. However, Nahak said there will be less land available for agricultural purposes as 1,113 hectares will be given to the government. “The government is currently paying compensation to our community members, especially to those in Suco Camanasa, Aldeia Fatuisi and Sanfuk. But half of the people have not been compensated.”

Anacleto Amaral, the traditional leader of Suco Camanasa, Aldeia Manequin in Sanfuk, said they have had many meetings with the government. Amaral proposed that the Suai people will have to work as cleaners, laundry service, and cooks etc as the Camansa people have provided 1,113 hectares of land. However, he said that when the airport was built, the government brought outside the workforce. “We have offered everything to the state. Even though the government has given us US$3 per square meter, we don’t know where we would live.”