Authorities demolished kiosks in Pinangsia

JAKARTA (JP): Security and order officers demolished yesterday 24 shops, which make packing boxes, on the bank of the Ciliwung river, at Pinangsia in West Jakarta.

The residents have to make way for a mayoralty project aimed at restoring the heavily polluted river.

The residents did not resist the mayoralty's use of force even though the kiosk owners have not received any compensation.

"We want to be good citizens," said one resident, "but we also hope that the mayoralty will give us compensation."

Some residents were worried whether they will get compensation for their kiosks, which had become the source of their livelihood for decades.

"We are afraid we will never see the (compensation) money," Saju, one of the kiosk owners, said.

An official from the Pinangsia subdistrict, Dadang Rozali, said the government is negotiating compensation, for the affected residents, with the project's manager.

Project

Project officials were not available for comment yesterday.

The shops are among 350 buildings in West Jakarta, which will be torn down to make way for the project, in Pinangsia, Mangga Besar and Tantri.

Of the 350 affected families, 84 have received compensation, offered by the West Jakarta mayoralty.

According to Saju, the West Jakarta mayoralty has offered Rp 31,000 (US$14) per square meter of land, while the buildings were not compensated.

He added that many of the families have lived in the area since 1971 and that they have legal documents authorizing them to open businesses on the land. "We are not illegal residents. The 24 box sellers pay Rp 1.5 million annually in taxes."

Residents who rejected the compensation demanded that the West Jakarta mayoralty relocate them but the administration has not given any response.

"We need another place in which to conduct our business," Saju said. (29)