Citarum river banks to be cleared

Citarum river banks to be cleared

The municipal authorities plan to make a clean sweep of the
hundreds of shanties and other structures standing along the
Citarum river bank in Cedeng, Central Jakarta, by the end of this
month.

Chief of the City Public Works Office, IG Nyoman Suwandhi,
said over the weekend that the demolition will be done by
security officers if the squatters refuse to clear away the
hovels by themselves.

Quoting City Regulation No. 11, 1988, Nyoman said that
building structures along river banks is detrimental to public
order.

"They have got to go!" he said.

The authorities have already informed the owners about the
plan and asked them to move from the site on their own several
times. "They have repeatedly disobeyed our orders," he said.
"Moreover, their number has steadily grown."

Nyoman added: "We cannot be blamed if we have to demolish the
structures. We have already followed the proper procedures."

Dadang Effendi, head of the Gambir district, which oversees
the area, said that none of the occupants would receive
compensation because they built their houses illegally on state
land.

Data show that there are 250 structures standing along the
Citarum river banks. Most of the occupants are from small
villages in Java hoping for a better life in the capital. (bsr)