Arson suspected cause of slum fires over last 2 years<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Arson is suspected to be the cause of a spate of
\nfires in slum areas over the past two years, a Jakarta Legal Aid
\nInstitute (LBH) lawyer said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Waskito Adiribowo, the LBH agrarian division head, said the
\ncity administration quickly announced people were not allowed to
\nrebuild their houses destroyed in the fires.<\/p>\n
\"This serves only to strengthen the theory that arson is
\nbehind those fires because the city is intending to build
\napartments for middle-income people or city parks,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Waskito made his remarks as the institute's lawyers reported
\non 1996's legal affairs.<\/p>\n
In 1996 at least three similar fire cases were reported to the
\ninstitute: Penjaringan district, North Jakarta, Kenari Market and
\nKaret Tengsin, both in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
During 1995 there were two cases reported: residential areas
\nin Tebet, South Jakarta and in Kampung Bunga, North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The institute recorded two other similar cases in residential
\nareas of Tanah Tinggi, North Jakarta and Bendungan Hilir, Central
\nJakarta, both areas have become parks.<\/p>\n
Waskito said most of the areas were previously very densely
\npopulated.<\/p>\n
He said after a fire police usually cordoned off the site so
\npeople could never determine the cause of the fire.<\/p>\n
\"We do not have any evidence that they were deliberately set
\non fire,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Most slum resident did not have insurance, he said.<\/p>\n
Waskito said usually there had been compensation discussions
\nbetween authorities and residents before the fires.<\/p>\n
\"But before the dialogue between them reaches a consensus
\nfavoring both sides, the fires come,\" Waskito said.<\/p>\n
This is why speculations are rife the fires were deliberately
\nlit.<\/p>\n
He said people who lived in areas which became parks never got
\ncompensation.<\/p>\n
Waskito said most residents were left homeless after a fire.<\/p>\n
\"They usually resort to living temporarily at their relatives'
\nhouses. They would not go back to their hometowns for shame of
\nbeing branded as failures in Jakarta,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Waskito said he regretted it if it was true the administration
\nused arson to seize the land and evict people.<\/p>\n
\"If the citybadministration wants to appropriate an area for a
\nmore important purpose, like a public facility, why don't the
\nofficers conduct themselves in a decent way?\" he asked.<\/p>\n
He believed residents would be willing to leave their
\nproperties only if they got adequate compensation. (07)<\/p>",
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