Fisherfolk evicted for fourth time<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
For the fourth time in seven years, around 50 fishermen and their
\nfamilies, around 160 people, were evicted by the city public
\norder officers from their makeshift homes at Ancol Timur in North
\nJakarta on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n
During the eviction process, the only land access to the site
\nwas blocked by heavily armed military troops along with officers
\nfrom the public order agency.<\/p>\n
The only way to reach the site was by boat, ironically, from
\nnearby Ancol Dreamland Park.<\/p>\n
When activists from the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH
\nJakarta) arrived at the site, all their plywood and fiberglass
\nhouses had been burned down by the officers.<\/p>\n
Hermawanto, a lawyer with the LBH Jakarta, said that the
\nfishermen were distraught, as they had no shelter.<\/p>\n
Most took their families to stay on their boats while some of
\nthem were already planning to stay temporarily at the LBH Jakarta
\noffice on Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
According to Hermawanto, the fishermen -- who originally are
\nfrom Cirebon and Indramayu in West Java -- had been living in
\nAncol Timur for nearly 30 years.<\/p>\n
Saturday's eviction was the fourth for them. They were first
\nevicted in 1997 as the land they had occupied was to be used for
\nthe north coast reclamation. After moving to another site in the
\narea, they were evicted for a second time in 1999 for the same
\nreason. In 2001, they were also evicted, although they had moved
\nto another site.<\/p>\n
The administration has been planning since 1995 to reclaim the
\nnorth coast and build a plush housing and business area.<\/p>\n
The fishermen's class action suit against the administration
\nwas rejected by the Jakarta State Administrative Court and the
\nJakarta High Court since filing the class action suit in 1993.
\nThey appealed to the Supreme Court but there has been no
\ndecision.<\/p>\n
Head of the North Jakarta public order office Toni Budiono
\ncould not be reached for comment.<\/p>\n
The LBH Jakarta questioned the administration's persistence in
\ngoing ahead with its reclamation plan of 2,500 hectares of the
\nnorthern coast although the legal process on the plan was still
\nongoing.<\/p>\n
The office of the State Minister of the Environment has
\nrejected the reclamation plan, fearing environmental damage. The
\nminister's office lost its legal battle but they filed an appeal
\nand the case is currently at the Jakarta High Court.<\/p>\n
The LBH Jakarta also said that the fishermen were not
\nacknowledged by the country as they were not registered for last
\nweek's legislative election -- effectively disenfranchising them.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fisherfolk-evicted-for-fourth-time-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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