Squatters reject compensation offered, demand more money<\/p>\n
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Squatters facing eviction from their homes on Jl. Tanah Merah,
\nNorth Jakarta, and Pinang Ranti, East Jakarta, have turned down
\ncompensation money offered by land owners, demanding a higher
\nfigure.<\/p>\n
"We realize that we don't own the land and we don't mind
\nleaving it, as long as the compensation money is adequate. Just
\ndon't give us meager compensation, as the city administration has
\ndone," said Rico Siahaan, one of those living on Jl. Tanah Merah,
\nnear Plumpang fuel depot, on land owned by state oil company PT
\nPertamina.<\/p>\n
Compensation paid by land owners or the administration has
\nusually ranged between Rp 250,000 (US$29.4) and Rp 500,000.<\/p>\n
Rico and his wife, Tio, said they did not want the
\nadministration or Pertamina to relocate them to a low-cost rental
\napartment.<\/p>\n
"Just give us enough compensation and we will leave, perhaps
\nto our hometowns or to the outskirts (of the city)," said Rico
\nduring a meeting with related institutions at the National
\nCommission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM) office in Central
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Pertamina has offered to allocate 13 hectares of land in the
\narea for around 2,400 families who are facing eviction. It has
\nbeen proposed that low-cost housing be financed by the Ministry
\nof Resettlement and Regional Infrastructure through its 2004 One
\nMillion Houses program.<\/p>\n
"Pertamina still needs to get approval from the board of
\ncommissioners," said Solahuddin Wahid, deputy chairman of Komnas
\nHAM, who mediated the meeting. "I'm very happy with the offer.
\nIt's the best for all."<\/p>\n
"The ministry has also promised to find a way to finance the
\nconstruction (of houses)."<\/p>\n
Pertamina plans to clear land near its fuel depot to secure
\nfuel supply in the capital. The company will build a canal
\nmarking the boundary between the fuel depot and the residential
\narea.<\/p>\n
An ojek driver in Tanah Merah, however, said that some
\nsquatters were even erecting houses on Pertamina's land to reap
\nthe generous compensation money that it was rumored Pertamina
\nwould hand out after the evictions.<\/p>\n
"Rumors say that Pertamina has offered Rp 1 million per
\nsquare-meter for compensation," he said. "(But) imagine if this
\nis not true the (squatters) could die of heart attacks as they
\nborrowed money to build their houses".<\/p>\n
Another hearing at Komnas HAM was attended by representatives
\nof squatters living in Pinang Ranti, on land owned by the Jakarta
\nMilitary District Command (Kodam Jaya).<\/p>\n
Kodam Jaya has ordered people living on the 3.6 hectare area
\nof land to leave, offering each family Rp 3 million.<\/p>\n
Solahuddin said that 29 of the 77 families had agreed to the
\noffer, but others demanded double-the-figure.<\/p>\n
As no agreement was reached at the meeting, Komnas HAM has
\narranged another meeting for next week.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/squatters-reject-compensation-offered-demand-more-money-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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