Aiceo Shelter, Ermera

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Shelter details

Construction

Ai Céu, is a place located in the small village called Mate Resto, Raimerhei, Ermera, located in the middle of a coffee plantation. With extremely difficult access, a narrow road cut into the mountain, it was the crossing point of the Commander-in-Chief of FALINTIL, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, when he traveled from Dili to Ermera, in April 1991, in order to continue the process of reorganizing the Region. It was also the site chosen by Nino Konis Santana for the construction of an underground shelter, strategically complementary to the existing ones, in the event of an attack by the occupying military forces and the need to evacuate to other areas.

After the capture of Xanana Gusmão, in November 20, 1992, and his successor Ma' Huno, in April 1993, the leadership fell to Nino Konis Santana, who was in the areas of the Haksolok Region, as already mentioned. Konis travels from Ainaro to Aicéu , via Atsabe - Cailaco – Hatulia – Aihatatu, arriving there in November 6, 1993, at the home of Domingos Borges, Tahara, where Angelino Brites, Mesak was also staying .

Salsinha recalls that at the end of December 1993, a group of elements from the clandestine networks of Ermera went to Ai Céu in order to meet with Konis, having celebrated the New Year's party there. The group included, in addition to Afonso Salsinha, Eduardo de Deus Barreto "Dusae", Liberata, Gabriel Ximenes "Fitun", Victor dos Santos "Clinton"; and Adolfo Maia "Lele".

At that meeting, Konis appointed Dusae as Secretary of the Região 7 de Dezembro, and as Deputies, Victor dos Santos "Clinton", Lokomeu, and Gabriel Ximenes, Fitun .

Meanwhile, Konis moves to Ermera. From then on, he gives instructions for the construction of an underground shelter in Ai-Céu .

Konis ' instructions , a group was set up, coordinated by Angelino Brites "Mesak" his code, which included Domingos Borges, Tahara, and Abel de Jesus Soares, Coli. They surveyed possible sites for excavating the shelter, having chosen a space in the middle of the coffee plantation, in Urbesi, close to the houses.

Digging under the rain

Those responsible decided to carry out the excavation under the rain, so that the occupant would not suspect the task. Furthermore, the rain washed away the excavated earth. The aim was to make a wooden box, but the boards were swallowed by the earth, softened by the rain.

As mentioned by Abelito Coli, in this first attempt to build an underground space, he himself participated; Tahara ; Julio Salsinha "Mauhi"; Jose Borges "Makikit"; António de Jesus Salsinha "Mali"; Sebastião dos Santos "Laloran",  Adriano Borges "Usadani" and Armando Madeira "Hadomi".

They decided to choose a second place, about 100 meters from the first. Once again, the ground conditions did not allow the work to be completed, everything collapsed, as Abelito and Tahara recall .

“They were all demoralized and didn't want to participate in any more attempts. So, a week later, me and my wife, Armanda Imaculada Martins, Lou Rai, the two of us alone, took the initiative to dig the earth where the boards had been buried the first time, in Urbesi ”, says Abelito. Celestino Exposto, Abrigo, was responsible for the work of mason and carpenter.

The guerrillas fighter Dudo, Leao Maulohi, Halibur and Moris, and the Buka security guards Domino, Rusa-Fuik

Construction was completed in May 1995, and closed with an oath. To conceal the entire process of building the shelter and divert attention from the enemy, Abelito Coli decided, at the same time, to build a small house nearby. So there was justification for all the building materials brought to the site and destined for the shelter.

Located about 200 meters from the residence of Domingos Borges, Tahara , this is the only underground Shelter in Region IV located outside a dwelling.

There was never a need for it to be used by the Comando da Luta, based in Ermera .