Agency official says more evictions soon to follow
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Only one day after successfully evicting "illegal" occupants from a plot of land in Tanjung Duren Selatan, West Jakarta, head of the City Public Order Agency Soebagio emphasized that the campaign to demolish illegally erected houses throughout the city was in full force.
"We plan to clear all illegal houses built on state-owned and private-owned land, including those built on riverbanks and the makeshift houses constructed under toll roads," he said on Friday.
The first eviction to take place this month on Thursday left 1,000 people homeless when West Jakarta public order officers and police evicted occupants of land in Tanjung Duren Selatan, next to Mal Taman Anggrek on Jl. S. Parman.
Earlier last month, the mayoralty also evicted the residents of houses in Tambora, West Jakarta, and people living on the 55- hectare area of land owned by state-run housing company Perum Perumnas in Cengkareng, West Jakarta.
The 55-hectare area of land will be used for commercial purposes. Shopping malls and office buildings will occupy 25 hectares of the land, while 15 hectares will be sold to the private sector. The remaining 30 hectares will be used for the construction of apartments.
Violence seems be the inevitable outcome of forced evictions. During last month's eviction in Cengkareng, one man was killed and a teenage girl, allegedly sexually abused.
Nine people suffered minor injuries in the latest eviction in Tanjung Duren Selatan.
Soebagio argued that his officers were prohibited from attacking people during forced evictions.
"I told them not to fight back, unless the residents threatened their (the officer's) lives. They can attack (the people). But only if necessary," he said.
Soebagio claimed that his agency held a map of illegal houses to be demolished in several municipalities. The illegal houses are categorized as, houses built without permits; houses built under toll roads and on riverbanks and houses built on state- owned and private-owned land.
West Jakarta Mayor Sarimun Hadisaputra said that after the "successful" eviction in Tanjung Duren Selatan, his administration would continue with its plan to evict the occupants of some 200 houses in Tegal Alur.
North Jakarta Mayor Effendi Annas also disclosed his plan to evict the residents of houses built on land owned by state-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina, in Plumpang and by PT Jasa Marga along the toll road in Pluit and along the banks of the Angke river and the Cengkareng Main Drain.
Perum Perumnas president director M. Latief Malangyudho said that he will propose the demolition of houses on the company's 2.7 hectares of land in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta and on 20 hectares of land in Pulo Gebang, East Jakarta.
As the evictions seem set to continue, Soebagio promised that his officers will follow procedures in future evictions. Correct procedure includes issuing three warning letters and providing demolition orders.