Evicted squatters threaten to build on other's land<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Many of the evicted North Kedoya riverbank
\ndwellers, whose homes were demolished by the authorities, said
\nthey will erect shanties on land belonging to a real estate
\ncompany even though they are aware that to do so is illegal.<\/p>\n
A spokesman for the squatters told The Jakarta Post yesterday
\nthat they would soon move to the Green Garden housing complex to
\nbuild shanties there. They said they cannot afford to rent
\nhousing.<\/p>\n
Supri, the spokesman, said they had to pay Rp 150,000 ($67.50)
\nper month for a shanty.<\/p>\n
\"I and my friends cannot afford to pay such an amount each
\nmonth, I will erect a tent at the housing complex next month,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"We don't know where to move since we have nothing left after
\nthe demolition,\" said Supri, who spoke for many of the 100 people
\nwho were forced to leave the riverbanks after their shanties were
\ndemolished.<\/p>\n
The authorities took the measure to pave the way for the clean
\nriver program. The police made some 4,000 squatters quit the
\narea. Many of them left for unknown destinations but hundreds are
\nnow renting shanties not far from the area.<\/p>\n
Plan<\/p>\n
Supri said he and his neighbors were quite aware that their
\nplan to occupy part of the housing complex was illegal and that
\nsecurity officers would most likely drive them away again.<\/p>\n
\"But we have nowhere to go,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The West Jakarta Mayoralty has offered them the alternative to
\ngo back to their birthplaces, with the government paying them Rp
\n50,000 for transportation, or of joining the government-sponsored
\ntransmigration program to islands outside Java. Most of the
\npeople rejected both ideas.<\/p>\n
Those who claimed they built the shanties themselves said they
\nturned down the transportation money because it meant nothing
\ncompared to their suffering after the demolition.<\/p>\n
Only those who rented the shanties from others accepted the
\nmoney.<\/p>\n
Supri said that they also believe the homes they are now
\nrenting will eventually be bulldozed by security officers.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, about 100 residents of the southern part of Kedoya
\ntold the Post yesterday they would have to quit the area too
\nbecause the mayoralty had given them their last warning. (03)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/evicted-squatters-threaten-to-build-on-others-land-1447893297",
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