Cempaka Baru residents

From Media Indonesia

Residents of the 001/04 neighborhood in Cempaka Baru, Central Jakarta have complained about local officials who have threatened 13 families of their neighborhood to leave their premises since the location will be used for a public project.

Actually, threats have often been voiced since 1995. It started with a summons by the Central Jakarta mayor. The latest and strongest-worded letter came from the Kemayoran subdistrict head on Sept.4 ordering the residents to vacate their premises within 7 x 24 hours, failing which the buildings would be pulled down.

The letters received by the residents show a number of inconsistencies:

1. Signatories have been either the mayor, the subdistrict head or the 07 military district commander.

2. Compensation payment varies: Rp 1.4 million per square meter according to the regional government, Rp 1 million according to the other offices. There is no mention of compensation in the subdistrict head's recent letter.

3. If the land is vacated for the public's interest, e.g. for a greenbelt area, why are only those buildings pulled down, why not the other buildings on Jl. Suprapto?

Some people say the land will be used not for the public's interest but for the business of somebody living in the vicinity.

We would herewith appeal to the Jakarta governor to investigate this case. We do not object to move from the area but land compensation should be in line with the official rate of Rp 2.5 million per square meter as mentioned in the tax form for land and buildings.

Cempaka Baru residents

Jakarta