Nine Jelambar residents too scared to go home<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Nine residents of Jelambar, West Jakarta, have
\nnot been able return home for a week as of yesterday because they
\nwere scared of being intimidated by neighbors.<\/p>\n
Late Friday, residents of the Jelambar Baru subdistrict,
\nGrogol Petamburan, said they had been terrorized by their
\nneighbors because they had been quoted in an article in Republika
\ndaily's Sunday edition talking life in their slum area. Their
\nneighbors were angered by the article which alleged there was a
\nlot of crime in the area.<\/p>\n
\"One of us was threatened with rape, because she was quoted in
\nthe part about rape,\" a woman requesting anonymity said.<\/p>\n
She was one of the residents seeking refuge with friends
\noutside Jelambar.<\/p>\n
The people quoted in the article were members of a group
\ncalled Konsorsium Jelambar Baru (Jelambar Baru Urban Poor
\nConsortium), which includes residents and social activists.<\/p>\n
The group's contact person, sociologist Wardah Hafidz, said
\n150 people thronged the group's office, some of them shouting
\nthat the building should be set on fire.<\/p>\n
\"It's not safe for residents to return yet,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Wardah, who was in the building at the time, was taken to the
\nlocal police office with another group member but was released.
\nNo one was detained.<\/p>\n
The newspaper article was a run-up to the Group's presentation
\nof its play titled The People of Jelambar Baru which was staged
\nFriday at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences building.<\/p>\n
But the story was totally different from the one rehearsed
\nbecause members improvised using their recent experiences. The
\ngroup was set up in 1990.<\/p>\n
One of the members, Kuna, said she hoped she could return home
\nto her four children as soon as possible.<\/p>\n
Wardah said one problem facing them was a city plan to build a
\n26-meter road through the area. They have tried to get an
\nexplanation why the road is needed but to no avail, she said.
\n(anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nine-jelambar-residents-too-scared-to-go-home-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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