Demolition plan upset squatters<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): More than 120 families living on the bank of the
\nriver Opak in North Jakarta have complained to the city council
\nyesterday about a plan to demolish their houses.<\/p>\n
Represented by 12 people, the riverbank squatters said on
\nWednesday that the West Jakarta mayoralty decided to tear down
\ntheir structures without prior information to them.<\/p>\n
They said the demolition order, dated Dec. 28 last year, was
\nan arbitrary and one-sided policy.<\/p>\n
The residents said the letter means demolition will be carried
\nout at anytime without their knowledge.<\/p>\n
\"We don't want the mayoralty to have our houses demolished
\nalong with our belongings,\" Muhammad, spokesman of the residents,
\ntold members of the council's commission A for government
\naffairs.<\/p>\n
They claimed that most of them have been living in a one-kilo
\nmeter long river bank for 18 years peacefully.<\/p>\n
Another resident, M. Sani, said that they are willing to give
\nup the riverbank but they demanded the mayoralty to give a
\nreasonable compensation.<\/p>\n
\"A reasonable compensation is more than Rp 125,000 (US$58) per
\nsquare meter which was received by residents of the complex next
\nto our houses three years ago,\" Sani said.<\/p>\n
The vice chairman of the commission A, Fattomy Asaari, said
\nthe commission will ask the mayoralty to avoid abrupt demolition.<\/p>\n
Governor Surjadi Soedirdja has vowed to cleanup riverbanks
\nfrom squatters. He said the demolition of riverbank squatters'
\nhouses is part of the clean river program, which needs proper
\nenforcement. (yns)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/demolition-plan-upset-squatters-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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