500 evicted from Perumka land

500 evicted from Perumka land

JAKARTA (JP): About 100 homes, occupied by more than 500 people staying on company land, were demolished by the state- owned railroad company Perumka, yesterday.

The demolition started at about 8:00 a.m. by Perumka in cooperation with personnel of the Jakarta military command and the local administration, especially the Senen district administration.

R. Soedarso of Perumka told reporters that the demolition took place along a three-kilometer stretch of land alongside the railway tracks running from Bungur, Senen, behind the Gaplok market, to Jl. Pramuka.

Twelve freight cars were used to carry the debris. About 150 personnel of the military command, the city administration and the company were involved in the operation.

Most people in the area said they would continue to stay on the land and ignore the fact that Perumka would demolish their huts again.

Kasir, 75, a resident, told The Jakarta Post that he had lived there for 35 years and had no intention of moving.

"I don't want to move," he said emotionally, "This is my home and my place of work."

Kasir, who works as a cleaner at the local market, said that although Perumka had demolished his home three times, he still does not want to move.

"By working and staying here, I can send about Rp 150,000 (US$$67) to my family in the village in Tegal, Central Java," he said.

Meanwhile, Dimun, 43, another cleaner at the market who had stayed there since 1970, said that he did not want to move either.

"I earn money for my family here," he said, "I also help the administration keep the surrounds clean. Why should they send us away?"

Dimun, father of eight children, said that as long as Perumka does not put a fence along the railway, he will keep building his hut there.

A woman who asked for anonymity, said that most people there paid between Rp 25,000 and Rp 30,000 for renting the huts and for "security money" for a certain person.

"When we heard that Perumka was about to demolish our houses we paid between Rp 100,000 and Rp 500,000 to the person," she said, "He promised us that the company would not dare to send us away".

M. Haidy Kosasih, head of the Senen district, said he regretted that the person took advantage of the residents.

"I can assure you that the person is not part of the administration or Perumka," he said.

Kosasih also regretted that the people who lived in the huts insisted on staying on the land.

"They should have known that the land isn't theirs," he said, "All we want from them is to be orderly by obeying the government's rules."

According to Kosasih, the demolition was not the first time in his jurisdiction.

"All my staff are tired of demolishing the huts because soon they will build them again," he said, adding that his staff would keep an eye on them in case they try building there again.

Soedarso said that the demolition was aimed at keeping the city clean and reducing crimes on trains when they stop.

Bey Arief, head of the Senen train station, said that the six- meter wide area will be used for a waterway.

"The dike will be built alongside the tracks," he said, "But the construction will be conducted step by step."

The purpose of constructing the dike is to reduce puddles and to prevent people building huts beside the railroad tracks.

According to Arief, the Greater Jakarta administration will finance the construction. (05)