Agency official says more evictions soon to follow
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.