The SOS Ria Formosa/Je Suis Ilhéu movement asked the President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa for an audience to talk about the process of demolitions in the barrier islands, which he has been contesting, and invited the Head of State to travel to the island of Culatra, to know the nuclei of the Farole to Hangares, where the Polis Ria Formosa Society has taken administrative possession of nearly 50 houses in recent weeks.
In an open letter signed by anti-demolition activist Vanessa Morgado, on behalf of the movement, SOS Ria Formosa asks Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to “intercede – within what Portuguese law allows – in the interest of the people of these places and of ethnographic preservation and of the social and economic wealth of these communities, so that justice is actually done and that the country does not see its social patrimony even more dilapidated, as unfortunately is common nowadays».
«The Portuguese State has received from these populations, tens of thousands of euros in taxes on housing over the last forty and many years, thousands of euros are paid and accepted by the Portuguese State, which continues to classify us as illegal, when in the past it was the state itself that encouraged the human presence in these islands”, he assures.
The islanders of Culatra argue, on the other hand, that the objective of the ongoing demolition process, under the responsibility of Polis Ria Formosa, is not related to environmental issues, but rather to economic interests.
«Without wanting at all to go down the path of speculation, we would like to be able to avoid a “Troiization” of these Islands, that is, that, once the “undesirable” local inhabitants have been driven out, in the future these places will be concessioned to the interests of large economic interests that, after having deprived the whole of the Algarve for years, now see an opportunity to mark territory in territory that has always been closed to them», reads the open letter to the President of the Republic.
At the hearing they requested, SOS Ria Formosa wants, "in person", to explain its position to Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and show "the great documentation that we have on this entire process". “It would also be a huge honor for us, if you agreed, to come and visit these places to see with your own eyes the reality on the ground and what we are actually talking about”, they challenge.
Read the entire open letter:
Hon. Mr. President of the Portuguese Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa,
First of all, we would like to congratulate you on your first year in office at the head of the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic, a fact that has undoubtedly launched a wave of hope over all of Portugal, arising from your positions assumed throughout a career, both political and public, in which social justice and an impartial posture have always revealed themselves as distinguishing marks and always present in his words and actions.
The reason that leads us to contact you is the pressing issue, and at this moment of extreme urgency, of the situation of the houses in the Barreira da Ria Formosa Islands, in the Municipalities of Faro and from Olhão.
This is a process that has dragged on over the years, a process that successive Governments have excelled in letting go, diametrically changing their position as they are now in government and now in opposition.
For reasons that are conveniently far from public knowledge, the Polis Litoral Ria Formosa society (created with the main objective of carrying out a process of mass demolitions, despite claiming to preserve Nature and improve the living conditions of the populations) has insisting on the demolitions of the aforementioned houses, based on the allegation that these are not first homes or because they are considered illegal/clandestine, or because they harm the environment and are in a space that is in the public maritime domain and therefore of all.
It is true that over the 3 governments in which this society is in force, the strategy has changed over time, sometimes wanting to raze everything and everyone, sometimes finally wanting to phase the demolitions in periods of 3 years, but always with the right idea marked that sooner or later, everyone will have to leave.
The aforementioned company (which saw its legal existence be extended several times for this purpose to be achieved) carried out demolitions in Praia de Faro and in isolated islets in the Ria Formosa in houses that had injunctions in progress, in the absence of decisions by the Court of Loulé, and with the connivance of the present authorities – something that takes us back to bygone regimes and times that were nothing less than democratic.
These houses have history, these islands have history, all these people have histories on these islands and a life inseparable from the Ria Formosa, the islands, the sea, the islands are a unique, united community, and this is not the greatest value of a country ? The cohesion and unity of your communities? Faro and Olhão extend along the Ria Formosa, life crosses the waters and continues on the other side, in Culatra, in Hangares, in Farol; other lives took place on the Islands, and only on the Islands.
Is it worth destroying this socio-cultural heritage in the name of any interest that presents itself? However hidden and mysterious he is? It doesn't seem to us. And we believe that a President of the Republic with the moral structure of Your Excellency will also not seem to him.
Without wanting to go down the path of speculation at all, we would like to be able to avoid a "Troiization" of these Islands, that is, that, once the "undesirable" local inhabitants are chased away, in the future these places will be concessioned to the interests of major interests. that, after having, for years, deprived the Algarve of character, now see an opportunity to mark territory in territory that has always been closed to them.
Just remember what is happening in the city of Lisbon, where little of the popular and historic districts remains.
Will our President of the Republic, a high-ranking figure among the overwhelming majority of the Portuguese, who see him as one of their own, want to see his, and ours, Portugal treated in this way?
In the name of the SOS Ria Formosa movement, we hereby request that, based on your analysis of the situation presented here, you intercede – within what Portuguese Law allows – in the interests of the people of these places and of the preservation of the ethnographic and social economic wealth of these communities, so that justice is actually done and that the country does not see its social heritage even more dilapidated, as unfortunately is common nowadays.
The Portuguese State has received from these populations, tens of thousands of euros in taxes on housing over the last forty and many years, thousands of euros are paid and accepted by the Portuguese State, which continues to classify us as illegal, when in the past it was the state itself that encouraged the human presence on these islands.
We would also like that, if possible, Mr. President could receive us in an audience, so that we could elucidate our position and show us the much documentation that we have about this process.
It would also be a great honor for us, if you agreed, to come and visit these places to see with your own eyes the reality on the ground and what we are actually talking about.
With the most respectful regards,
Vanessa Morgado
On behalf of the SOS Ria Formosa movement
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