Councilors urge mayor to solve Koja land dispute<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Councilors urged North Jakarta Mayor Suprawito
\nyesterday to keep calm in settling the growing dispute over a
\nplot of land in Koja Utara which is earmarked for port
\ndevelopment.<\/p>\n
The dispute involves land owners who demand higher
\ncompensation, the mayor and the state-owned PT Pelindo seaport
\ncompany which will build a cargo terminal.<\/p>\n
The councilors urged the mayor to stop threatening people and
\ninstead try to solve the problem amicably.<\/p>\n
Djeni Suharso, a member of the Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI), told reporters yesterday that threats will not settle the
\nproblem, possibly only worsen it.<\/p>\n
\"It is true that law should be enforced but it is not
\nappropriate for the mayor to threaten residents because it will
\ndo no good in settling the dispute,\" Djeni said.<\/p>\n
Mayor Suprawito has repeatedly threatened that he would take
\nthe residents to court unless they accept the compensation set by
\nthe government and move from the area.<\/p>\n
The dispute started after PT Pelindo announced last year that
\nit intended to appropriate 90 hectares of land inhabited by 9,037
\nfamilies, or almost 40,000 people, where the company plans to
\nbuild a new container terminal in a joint-venture with PT
\nHumpuss, the diversified business group owned by the President's
\nyoungest son, Hutomo Mandala Putra.<\/p>\n
After the failure to agree on the compensation amount, Mayor
\nSuprawito tried to break the deadlock by raising it to between Rp
\n100,000 (US$46.80) and Rp 160,000 ($75) per square meter.<\/p>\n
The level is Rp 10,000 ($4.60) higher than the rate set by PT
\nPelindo. The Koja residents, however, insist on Rp 2,275,000
\n($1,066) per square meter.<\/p>\n
Djeni advised the mayor to use the \"persuasive\" approach with
\nthe residents because threats are an inappropriate way to settle
\na dispute.<\/p>\n
Djeni also urged the residents to soften their stance and not
\ndemand such a high amount of compensation so that the conflicting
\nparties can reach an agreement.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the PDI Lukman Mokoginta said it is important that
\nthe mayor does not force a solution that may cause another
\nproblem in the future.<\/p>\n
On Monday, Suprawito threatened to file a law suit against the
\nresidents who refused to accept the compensation following a
\nspate of incidents in which they vandalized the company's
\nequipment on the disputed site.<\/p>\n
Suprawito stressed that the project would continue at any cost
\nand the mayoralty will soon start demolishing houses for which
\nthe owners have already received compensation.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Hasan Saman, a spokesman for the Koja Utara
\nresidents denied the mayor's allegations that they had vandalized
\nthe company's heavy equipment. (yns)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/councilors-urge-mayor-to-solve-koja-land-dispute-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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