Koja homes won't face arbitrary demolition<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): City Military Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Sutiyoso
\nguaranteed yesterday that arbitrary demolition of houses in Koja
\nUtara, North Jakarta, will not happen.<\/p>\n
\"I assure that the residents can stay there securely until the
\ncompensation problem is settled,\" Sutiyoso told reporters.<\/p>\n
He explained that adding that City Military Command is now
\nfunctioning as a mediator between area residents and PT Pelindo
\nII.<\/p>\n
PT Pelindo II is the state company which legally owns the
\ndisputed land in Koja Utara. The company plans to build a cargo
\nterminal there.<\/p>\n
On Saturday security officers demolished makeshift guard
\nstations built by residents to monitor vehicles and people
\nentering the neighborhood. The military said that the residents
\nhad tried to disturb the cargo terminal project by building the
\nguard stations.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso renewed City Military Commander Maj. Gen. Wiranto's
\nrequest to the residents not to disturb the construction of the
\ncargo terminal in the area because PT Pelindo has the right to
\ndevelop the project on its own land.<\/p>\n
PT Pelindo is constructing a cargo terminal on 90 hectares of
\nland in Koja Utara. More than 1,000 of the families living on
\nthat land are refusing to move from the site until they get a
\nhigher amount of compensation.<\/p>\n
Compensation<\/p>\n
The authorities have offered between Rp 100,000 and Rp 160,000
\nper square meter, but the residents are demanding Rp 2,275,000
\nper square meter.<\/p>\n
The City Military Command has tried to end the dispute through
\nnegotiations between the residents and PT Pelindo, as well as
\nwith the North Jakarta mayoralty.<\/p>\n
Last week, before the demolition of the residents' guard
\nstations, Wiranto told residents that PT Pelindo agreed to
\nprovide the additional money they needed to transport their
\nbelongings to the new houses. The residents, who plan to rent
\nhouses, will be given one year's rent money by the company, and
\ndown payments have been waived for those who are applying for
\nlow-cost apartments.<\/p>\n
The authorities initially prohibited the local media from
\nreporting the demolition of the guard stations.<\/p>\n
A military source told The Jakarta Post yesterday that the
\nprohibition was aimed at avoiding possible negative impacts the
\npublication of the action. \"We just want to settle the dispute,
\nand not to repress the media,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The source also confirmed that police officers arrested two
\nresidents, identified as Saman and Martin in Saturday's
\ndemolition. The two are accused of influencing other residents to
\nturn down the compensation offered and to sabotage the cargo
\nterminal project.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, 315 residents, who are also PT Pelindo workers,
\nagreed to accept the compensation offered by the company. But
\nthey have not yet moved from the area.<\/p>\n
Mahdi, a resident, said that he had accepted compensation in
\nFebruary, but he still lives in the area. \"I will move after
\ntaking the transportation money and the house rent,\" he stated.<\/p>\n
Ono Suryono, head of the All Indonesian Workers Union branch
\nat PT Pelindo said that the company is constructing low-cost
\napartments for 1,000 families in Cilincing, North Jakarta, which
\nare to be allocated for residents of Koja Utara. (29)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/koja-homes-wont-face-arbitrary-demolition-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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