Eviction peaceful after violence<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra<\/p>\n
After two days of violence, the forcible eviction of dozens of
\nhouses in the North Sumatra capital of Medan by local security
\nand order officers ended peacefully on Friday.<\/p>\n
The peace was finally achieved after the victims from Jl. Dr
\nCipto in the neighborhood of Anggrung Medan accepted the
\ncompensation for their houses offered by the local
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
Two bulldozers brought in by property developer PT Agra Citra
\nKarisma (ACK) started destroying and flattening houses at around
\n4:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
Owners of the demolished houses were seen submitting to their
\nown fate, while collecting their household goods from the ruins.
\nThere were no reports of resistance from any of them.<\/p>\n
The eviction by the developer assisted by dozens of security
\nand order officers in Medan had several times failed due to
\nstrong resistance and challenges by hundreds of local residents.<\/p>\n
Clashes broke out on Wednesday and Thursday between residents,
\nincluding women and children, as security and order officers
\ntried to force their way in and bulldoze the houses.<\/p>\n
Many of the victims, carrying molotov cocktails (small, crude
\nfuel bombs), stones and weapons, challenged the officers.<\/p>\n
Several people were injured in the violence, in which shots
\nwere fired.<\/p>\n
A private TV journalist was reportedly abducted for her
\ncoverage of the foiled eviction. However, the report was not
\nconfirmed.<\/p>\n
During the two-day clashes, the residents closed the roads
\ninto their area by setting tires ablaze.<\/p>\n
Angrung village head Chairil Anwar said the developer paid
\nbetween Rp 65 million (US$7,647) and Rp 100 billion in
\ncompensation for each building affected by the eviction.<\/p>\n
\"The local residents demand the compensations because they
\nhave been living there for 55 years,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Anwi, a local resident, said that although he could accept the
\ncompensation, he could not accept the way the people were evicted
\nbecause it involved local security officers.<\/p>\n
\"My house had been destroyed before I received the
\ncompensation,\" he added.<\/p>\n
However, Han Sin who represented the developer, claimed the
\neviction was done accordingly as his company had offered
\ncompensation to the people.<\/p>\n
\"The compensation was paid based on the assessment of the
\nconditions of houses,\" he said.<\/p>\n
There was no need to compensate for their land as the company
\nhad bought the area years before, Han added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/eviction-peaceful-after-violence-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}