Evictions to cease during Ramadhan<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The imminent arrival of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan
\nlooks set to bring relief, if only for a while, to the city's
\nsquatters as the administration has decided to put its eviction
\npolicy on hold.<\/p>\n
\"The evictions will be halted during Ramadhan, but their
\nsuspension is only temporary,\" said Governor Sutiyoso on Tuesday
\nafter meeting four Jakarta mayors.<\/p>\n
The decision would appear to be in line with a proposal
\nsubmitted on Oct. 9 by three human rights commissions -- the
\nNational Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan),
\nthe National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) and the
\nNational Commission on Child Protection (Komnas Anak).<\/p>\n
The three commissions called on the administration to announce
\na moratorium on all evictions for 180 days pending an evaluation
\nof the city's eviction policy.<\/p>\n
According to Sutiyoso, the evictions will resume after the
\nIdul Fitri holiday, although he did not specify the time frame.<\/p>\n
He admitted that his policy was unpopular.<\/p>\n
\"I'm just trying to make the city secure and orderly,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The governor, who previously gained the full support of
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri in his successful reelection bid
\nlast year, is now facing criticism from Megawati's Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).<\/p>\n
His unpopular policy, according to the party, could cost the
\nparty up to 80,000 votes.<\/p>\n
The governor praised public order officers for carrying out
\n\"peaceful evictions\" along the banks of the Muara Angke river,
\nNorth Jakarta, and in Tegal Alur, West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
This approach, he said, would be used as the model for future
\nevictions.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, some squatters in Pedongkelan, Kayu Putih
\nsubdistrict, East Jakarta, have demolished their own houses
\nfollowing the setting of Tuesday as the deadline by the
\nmunicipality administration.<\/p>\n
Others, unhappy with the compensation offered by the
\nadministration, insisted on staying put, saying they would be
\nready and waiting when the public order officers arrive on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
In Kampung Menceng, Tegal Alur subdistrict, West Jakarta,
\npublic order officers demolished dozens of intact houses on a
\nplot of vacant land. The occupants did not resist as the 400
\nofficers went about their work.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/evictions-to-cease-during-ramadhan-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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