Demolition goes on under tight security measures
Demolition goes on under tight security measures
JAKARTA (JP): The second day of demolition of shanties in
Kedoya Utara and Kembangan, West Jakarta, continued smoothly
yesterday, despite earlier confrontations with residents.
Some of dispossessed people even pulled down their own homes.
Only two housewives staged a protest by removing their blouses in
front of the officials at the demolition site.
Yesterday's scene was much cooler than the first day of
demolition on Wednesday, when angered residents hurt seven
people, including two journalists.
At least 150 shanties were demolished yesterday, most in
Kembangan and the remainder in Kedoya Utara. All the shanties
demolished had been located on the bank of the Angke River. The
city administration has been carrying out a Clean River Program,
which includes the clearing of squatters' shanties from the
city's riverbanks.
Hundreds of residents were busy yesterday, carrying their
belongings from their homes prior to the demolition.
One newly-homeless former resident of the area said that most
of the dispossessed people had removed their belongings the night
before.
"It's better for us to save our belongings than let them be
wrecked by the officials," Agus said. "We have no choice. We will
never win in a fight against the officials, who are backed by the
police and the military," he added.
Although there was no resistance from residents, dozens of
police and soldiers kept watch over the demolition, which was
carried out using three bulldozers, sledge hammers and crowbars.
Police arrested four people for allegedly leading residents in
resisting the demolitions on Wednesday.
One resident told The Jakarta Post yesterday that the four
residents arrested -- Sembiring, Herman, Acip and Mamat -- had
not yet been released.
Gunawan, another resident, said that Wednesday's clash would
not have happened if the officers were open to discussion.
He said residents became very angry and threw stones at
officers after police and soldiers prohibited them from talking
with the head of the mayoralty's Office of Security and Order.
Four people representing the residents visited the City
Council yesterday to report on the demolitions to commission A
for administration, security and order. However, most of the
commission's members were out of town on a picnic.
Councilor Djenni Suharso, the only commission member
available, told reporters that she regretted the incident.
Karsidin, head of the West Jakarta mayoralty's security and
order office, said that the authorities had warned residents
repeatedly.
"The residents demanded that the Jakarta state administrative
court revoke the West Jakarta mayor's demolition order," he said,
adding that their demand was not met.
He denied that the demolition had been requested by property
development company PT Green Garden, which has recently completed
a housing complex near the shanty town. (29)