RI inconsistent on settlement rights: NGO<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A group representing evicted residents, street
\nworkers and bemo owners said that the government should act
\naccording to the statement it presented to the world conference
\non human settlements in Istanbul, Turkey.<\/p>\n
The group called the Jabotabek (Greater Jakarta) Urban
\nPeople's Communication Forum stated yesterday that the government
\ndid not act in accordance with its international statements.<\/p>\n
The forum stated that the growth and expansion of cities,
\nparticularly Jakarta, only serves business interests.<\/p>\n
\"The government's position paper (in Istanbul) says it
\nrecognizes settlement rights and all related rights,\" forum
\nmember Waskito Adriwibowo said.<\/p>\n
\"We demand that the position be translated into policies and
\ndaily practices,\" said Waskito, who is also a lawyer at the
\nJakarta Legal Aid Institute.<\/p>\n
The institute, 13 other non-government organizations and other
\ngroups made up the forum. The two-day forum, which ended
\nyesterday, released a statement on the government's country paper
\nwhich was presented to the on-going United Nations Conference on
\nHuman Settlements (Habitat II).<\/p>\n
The 30 person forum, which discussed urban poverty, also
\nincluded bemo owners, residents of Jelambar, a women's group from
\nPisangan and representatives of street children and buskers.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta city government plans to phase out city bemo next
\nyear. The residents' and women's groups said their members will
\nbe evicted, but don't know when.<\/p>\n
The forum's statement said the people's right to shelter and
\nright to engage in small business were being violated. It also
\nmentioned problems on transportation policy and women's roles.<\/p>\n
City growth confirms the governor's statement that Jakarta is
\na \"service city\" with no room for the poor, the forum said.<\/p>\n
\"Evictions, elimination of traditional transport, arrests and
\nabuse reflect elitist city planning,\" the statement said.<\/p>\n
The forum demanded that city policy be changed to account for
\nthe people's right to shelter, right to wages, right to be
\ninvolved in city planning and right to be free from persecution.<\/p>\n
Waskito said current city policies treat the poor as
\ncriminals, such as the 1988 rule which limits the people's right
\nto sell in public places.<\/p>\n
Bemo<\/p>\n
An elderly man representing some 200 bemo owners in central
\nJakarta said his colleagues felt unprotected by the Association
\nof Public Land Transport Owners, Organda.<\/p>\n
The owners refused to register their vehicles at the city land
\ntransport agency by the required June 5 deadline, he said.<\/p>\n
They did not want to give away their vehicles without
\ncompensation and replace them with expensive minibuses.<\/p>\n
\"We were shocked because the meeting with Organda was about
\nvehicle registration and we would get no compensation because the
\ngovernment has no money,\" the man said.<\/p>\n
After the meeting the owners received leaflets from Suzuki
\nminibus dealers. The leaflets stated that a down payment of over
\nRp 4.9 million (US$2,078.03) was needed to purchase a minibus.
\nInstallments were almost Rp 2 million.<\/p>\n
\"We ask that the municipality pressure the dealers to
\nsubsidize the cars. Our bemo are treated as if they are
\nworthless, while they are still Rp 5 million on the market,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The latest city master plan does not recognize three-wheeled
\npublic transport, but this runs counter to the 1992 Traffic Law
\nwhich recognizes the vehicles, he said. (anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-inconsistent-on-settlement-rights-ngo-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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