'Both the city and the squatters are wrong'

'Both the city and the squatters are wrong'

The city administration has evicted around 1,500 families who had
previously occupied a 55-hectare plot of land belonging to Perum
Perumnas in Kampung Baru, West Jakarta. The forcible eviction
left some people injured, due to unexpected clashes between the
residents and the apparatus. Worse still, Governor Sutiyoso
stated that the squatters were not residents of Jakarta and
therefore, had only two choices: to return to their hometowns or
move to another island. The Jakarta Post asked a law expert and
some residents about the issue.

Muhammad Asrun, 43, is the Judicial Watch chairman. He lives
in Rawamangun, East Jakarta with his wife and three children:

If Governor Sutiyoso just tries to avoid the issue by saying
that the evicted residents are not citizens, it is not fair. It
would be better for him to provide them with housing.

I believe that the residents have more rights than Sutiyoso
credits them with. They have legal rights. But they are still in
a weak position.

They are Indonesian citizens. They deserve decent living
arrangements and housing, as is stipulated in our Constitution. I
guess he does not know about law.

Sutiyoso should have stopped to read the Constitution before
the people were forcefully evicted with firearms.

I think the land is in absentia, meaning that if people occupy
it for a certain number of years they can appeal to the
authorities to attain property rights.

The provision of decent housing for the residents would
minimize social unrest and lift up our dignity as a nation.

Dradjad, 32, is an employee at an international organization
on Jl. M.H. Thamrin, Central Jakarta. He resides in Pulomas, East
Jakarta with his family:

The recent eviction and similar cases are inhumane. I saw on
TV how the squatters were treated like animals by the city
apparatus during the clash.

The administration should exercise decency and civility in the
resolution of such problems, despite the squatters illegal
status.

They tried to survive their economic hardship by living on
vacant land. This is the only way to survive if the government
never supports you.

Why didn't the administration take harsher measures from the
very start of their occupancy?

Sutiyoso should not just deny that they are his people. West
Jakarta and its residents are under his authority, right?

However, life in the city is a mess. It makes me dizzy. In
many ways both sides are wrong.

Ashari, 45, is a sidewalk vendor who runs a food stall in
Kebayoran, South Jakarta. He lives in Palmerah, West Jakarta with
his wife:

I completely disagree with the forced eviction. I take pity on
the homeless.

The bloody riots should never have occurred. if only the
administration had a more humane approach.

They have to sit together and talk about the problem. I'm sure
there will be a way out.

I believe that the evictions will trigger new social problems.
These problems are very dangerous for the city government.

Leo Wahyudi S