Evicted squatters move to riverbanks<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Hundreds of squatters evicted from a three-hectare land owned by
\nPT Kereta Api Indonesia (PT KAI) in Tanah Abang district, Central
\nJakarta have set up tents along the banks of West Flood Canal.<\/p>\n
Many evictees said they were forced to stay on the riverbank
\nbecause they had no other place to live. Others said they would
\nrent rooms close to Tanah Abang market where they worked.<\/p>\n
Maman, 40, one of the evictees, said he would erect a
\ntemporary shelter on the riverbank. \"I don't have money to rent a
\nroom. I hope I will be allowed to erect a tent here,\" Maman, a
\nhot coffee vendor, said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
He claimed that he was not entitled to the Rp 500,000
\n(US$55.60) compensation from the administration because he was
\nnot registered as a squatter in the area, also known as a red
\nlight district.<\/p>\n
Central Jakarta deputy mayor Dadang Efendi said each of the
\n885 families evicted on Wednesday would receive Rp 500,000
\ncompensation from the administration. But many of the evictees
\ndid not know their rights.<\/p>\n
Dadang confirmed that only registered squatters received such
\ncompensation.<\/p>\n
According to Maman, he lived alone in Jakarta because his
\nfamily lived in his hometown in Indramayu, West Java.<\/p>\n
\"I need to stay here to earn a living. I have been vending hot
\ncoffee in Tanah Abang market for over five years,\" said the man,
\nwho has two children still studying in elementary school.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, PT KAI said that it planned to build warehouses on
\nthe land, which was cleared from the squatters. Workers began
\nfencing the land with zinc plates to prevent the squatters from
\nreturning..<\/p>\n
Spokesman of PT KAI for Greater Jakarta Ahmad Sujadi said the
\ncompany would also construct the first stage of double-track
\nrailways, connecting Tanah Abang to Serpong in Tangerang.<\/p>\n
Currently, the Serpong-Tanah Abang route is only served by a
\nsingle track railway.<\/p>\n
Sujadi said his company cooperated with private company PT
\nBertono Yudha Kencana to construct warehouses.<\/p>\n
Sujadi said PT KAI had to expand its businesses to other
\nsectors because it needed money for the construction of the
\nwarehouses.<\/p>\n
\"To earn profit, we cannot rely just on our transportation
\nservices to the public,\" he was quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/evicted-squatters-move-to-riverbanks-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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