Sagrada Família (East Timor)
The Sagrada Família (Holy Family) is an organization in East Timor . On the one hand, it is a gang in which mainly young people have come together. On the other hand, it also has religious features from a mixture of Catholic and animistic beliefs. Its founder and leader is Cornelio Gama , better known as Eli Fohorai-Boot ( L-Sete , L7 ), a former FALINTIL commander who turned against the government in 2001. In 1999 he had previously refused to be barracked in assembly camps for FALINTIL fighters. His vice-president was the veteran and co-founder André da Costa Belo (L4), a former member of Santo Antonio .
The Sagrada Família was originally founded in 1989 as a secret organization to fight Indonesian propaganda against the East Timorese resistance. Indonesia was occupying the country at the time. The FALINTIL fought the occupiers.
In independent East Timor, L7 initially did not recognize the government's legitimacy and at times spoke of the possibility of a new civil war. In 2005 he founded the UNDERTIM party , with which he entered the Timorese parliament in 2007 . From 2008 to 2012, UNDERTIM was a member of the government coalition AMP .
Gama states that his number of followers is more than 5,000. The group is based in Laga ( municipality of Baucau ) and some areas of Lospalos (municipality of Lautém ), but is active in all municipalities of the country, including the state capital Dili . The members are mostly male, unemployed youth from rural areas aged 13 and over, former FALINTIL fighters and impoverished farmers. The group identifies with Loro Sae , the east of the country, but is ethnically mixed. Members wear a red ribbon that they believe will protect them from harm.
Several acts of violence are attributed to the Sagrada Família, including an attack on a police station near Baucau on November 27, 2002. It is also accused of petty crime and extortion. Sagrada Família is also believed to be responsible for some ethnically motivated arson in 2006 in Dili. There are apparently regular clashes with the Forças FALINTIL SF75 , another gang based in Aileu .
Close ties are said to exist with 7-7 (Seven-Seven) , a kakalok (magical group), to which magical powers are attributed. 7-7 is also involved in gambling and blackmail. The group has many young members with fresh, noticeable scars, suggesting that, unlike other magical groups, they continue to actively recruit. 7-7 has recently appeared as a martial arts club. L7 is said to be a member of 7-7, whose leader Lito Rambo is said to be the co-founder of Sagrada Família. L7 is also chairman of the UNDERTIM party , which supported José Ramos-Horta in the 2007 presidential election campaign. Sagrada Família is also said to have links to the CPD-RDTL , a now practically illegal veterans' organization in East Timor.