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)