Army Claims No Land Grabbing in Lenteng Agung, Cites Asset Management for Active Personnel

The Indonesian Army has denied taking over the rights of residents in RW 10, Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta, stating it is merely reorganising and securing state assets in the area. Head of Army Information Service, Brigadier General Donny Pramono, said the aim is to ensure land is used according to its designation to support the needs of active soldiers and national defence duties. Since Monday, 8 June 2026, the army has been evicting people from the RW 10 area in Lenteng Agung. The army claims the cleared land is part of a 44,841-square-metre asset controlled by the Army’s Engineers Centre. The land holds a Right of Use Certificate issued in 2016 under the name of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, represented by the Army. The focus of the operation is a roughly 15,250-square-metre area originally designated as official housing for army personnel. The evictions are necessary to support an organisational upgrade from a Company to a Detachment, which increases personnel numbers and the requirement for official quarters and support facilities. The houses are classified as State Housing for active members, meaning they must be returned to the unit once an occupant retires, transfers, or loses the right to reside there. The army claims it conducted socialisation efforts from July to August 2024 involving local community units, sub-district officials, the National Land Agency, and the occupants. Three formal warning letters were later issued in October 2024, December 2024, and July 2025. Recent data indicated the zone held 152 families, 45 of whom vacated their homes after receiving explanations regarding the asset status. The army said it also provided transport assistance for the eviction. As the clearance began, 107 families remained. The initial phase targeted 58 families, with the rest to follow under prevailing procedures. The army insists the process was open, persuasive, and compliant with the law. However, residents described a hasty departure. Local resident Bella Nova Dianti said residents were made uncomfortable after electricity and water supplies were cut off. She claimed the eviction was carried out without prior notification and that soldiers entered homes asking occupants to pack their belongings. Compensation of Rp3 million per house was offered, but only to retired military personnel and their widows; other residents received nothing at all.