Forced eviction issue to be raised at Habitat meeting<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
\nare planning to bring up the issue of forced eviction at the
\nforthcoming unofficial NGO Global Forum on Human Settlements --
\nHabitat II -- in Istanbul, Turkey.<\/p>\n
Surya Mulandar, coordinator of the Indonesian NGOs Network for
\nHabitat (INN-HABITAT), said that many people have been deprived
\nof their right to housing through the wrongful practice of legal
\ndemolition.<\/p>\n
\"Other countries have problems related to illegal demolition.
\nBut in Indonesia, legal demolition has become a source of serious
\nproblems to many people,\" Surya told The Jakarta Post on Monday.<\/p>\n
The NGO Global Forum, scheduled to take place from May 30 to
\nJune 14, will convene in parallel with the official UN Conference
\non Human Settlement -- also called Habitat II -- from June 3-14.<\/p>\n
Delegations to the conference plan to establish a global
\nsustainable settlement system and discuss ways to provide
\nsufficient housing for everyone.<\/p>\n
Demolition of people's settlements in order to make way for
\ndevelopment projects often leads to conflicts between residents
\nand the authorities. Surya blamed the situation on the fact that
\nmany residents don't receive adequate compensation. In addition,
\nauthorities do not clearly explain regulations on demolition to
\nthem.<\/p>\n
Dwiyanto Prihartono and Waskito Adiribowo of the Jakarta Legal
\nAid Institute (LBH), a member of the NGO coalition, said in a
\npaper on demolition that the authorities often fail to consult
\nthe affected residents in determining the amount of compensation.<\/p>\n
The practice is against Presidential Decree No.55\/1993, the
\nlawyers said in the paper, which is being used by the NGOs as a
\nreference.<\/p>\n
The decree stipulates that negotiation is essential in land
\nacquisition and demolition. The amount of compensation should be
\nset in during discussion involving the people who will have to
\ngive up their land and buildings.<\/p>\n
Citing an example, the lawyers said that in 1994, the
\ngovernment set the compensation for land in Pinangsia, West
\nJakarta, at Rp 40,000 (approximately US$17 in today's currency)
\nfor each square meter of land, or less than one tenth of the
\nmarket price. When the residents resisted eviction, the city
\nadministration asked the military to force the residents to
\nleave.<\/p>\n
The military is usually involved in forced evictions,
\naccording to the lawyers. They also said that the residents who
\nrefused to give up their land were treated as \"criminals.\"<\/p>\n
In some cases, the authorities set the compensation much lower
\nthan the market prices because the residents or the land tillers
\n-- who are often unaware of the relevant laws -- could not show
\ntheir land titles. The lawyers said that the authorities should consider not only
\nthe legal aspect, but also social aspects of eviction.<\/p>\n
During the Habitat II conference, Istanbul will host around
\n25,000 participants from 185 countries who represent governments,
\nNGOs and the private sector.<\/p>\n
\"The government will surely talk about this `good practice'.
\nWe will talk about this 'bad practice',\" Surya said.<\/p>\n
The presentation of legal demolitions and low compensation as
\nbad practices would mean more than merely criticism, he said. The
\nNGOs also want to offer solutions to the problems through their
\npresentation.<\/p>\n
Other issues scheduled for discussion by the Indonesian NGOs
\ninclude spatial plans, pollution, housing and street children.<\/p>\n
INN-HABITAT, involving 19 NGOs, was founded earlier this year
\nto exchange information and work together to address the habitat
\nissues and events.<\/p>\n
The first World Human Settlements Conference, Habitat I, was
\nheld in Vancouver, Canada in 1976. (sim)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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