'We can't blame the squatters for the floods'<\/p>\n
Although the Jakarta administration has continued to carry out
\nmeasures to fight flooding, dredging 13 rivers, maintaining
\nsluice gates and setting up early warning systems and emergency
\nresponse teams, it could not stop the annual floods. The Jakarta
\nPost asked residents about their opinion of the administration's
\nflood-mitigation efforts.<\/p>\n
Nanda, 26, works in a foreign bank in Jakarta. She lives with
\nher family in Pondok Labu, South Jakarta:<\/p>\n
From past experience, I don't think the city administration is
\nserious about handling the floods in the capital because it
\nhappens every year and there is nothing much they have done about
\nit.<\/p>\n
I've heard that it would not be that difficult to resolve the
\nflood problem as long as we were serious about handling it. I
\nbelieve money is not a problem here because they can take it from
\nthe city budget. Everyone would agree that the city
\nadministration should allocate as much funds necessary for such a
\ncritical problem.<\/p>\n
The council would also gain support from the public and media
\nif they spent the money correctly and undertook the project
\ntransparently.<\/p>\n
Djoko, 35, is a construction worker working on a hotel project
\non Jl. Sudirman, Central Jakarta. He lives in a rented house with
\nhis family in Cibubur, East Jakarta:<\/p>\n
Beside poor city management and garbage treatment, the
\npresence of shanties and slum housing in riverbank areas also
\nexacerabates flooding and increases the people affected.<\/p>\n
However, I think the media and government can't just blame the
\nriverbank squatters, such as those in Kampung Pulo, Kampung
\nMelayu or Cipinang Muara, for not wanting to leave their homes to
\nsafer neighborhoods.<\/p>\n
They refuse to do so because they have no money to move out
\nwhile the government has given them no alternative or
\ncompensation.<\/p>\n
Who wants to stay in flood-prone areas in the first place? I
\nam sure they would move out if the government approached them
\nwith an alternative.<\/p>\n
I realize that it would be costly to provide safer place but
\nthere are many empty lots scattered across the city. Also, I am
\nsure that they could take money from state budget to solve the
\nhousing problem once and for all.<\/p>\n
--The Jakarta Post<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/we-cant-blame-the-squatters-for-the-floods-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }