Locals oppose eviction plan<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: Some 30 people representing 27 families living in
\nPondok Melati, Bekasi, rallied on Friday at the office of the
\nNational Commission on Human Rights to ask for help in fighting
\ngovernment plans to evict them from their homes.<\/p>\n
\"We built the land from nothing and worked on it for 20 years.
\nThey cannot move us out just like that,\" said a resident, Ita,
\nwho has lived in the area for more than 10 years.<\/p>\n
The community, represented by the Jakarta Legal Aid Agency,
\noccupies 6,000 square meters of land that was formerly a swamp.
\nThe district administration now wants to construct an office
\nbuilding on the state-owned land.<\/p>\n
\"They have worked on the land since 1982. According to the
\nAgrarian Law, they have the right to propose a claim on the
\nland,\" said legal adviser Nurkholis.<\/p>\n
Nurkholis said the Pondok Melati district office wanted to
\nevict the residents from the area, offering them compensation of
\njust Rp 250,000 per house (ranging from 20 square meters to 60
\nsquare meters).<\/p>\n
According to property values, a square meter of land in the
\narea is now worth about Rp 500,000.<\/p>\n
The Bekasi administration has sent a notification letter to
\nthe residents, telling them to vacate their houses by Aug. 21 or
\nbe forcibly removed.<\/p>\n
Hasto Harjono, an official with the National Commission on
\nHuman Rights, met with the residents and promised his office
\nwould look into the matter. -- JP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/locals-oppose-eviction-plan-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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