Demolition in Rawamangun

JAKARTA (JP): Residents of Rawamangun district, East Jakarta, are demanding that the East Jakarta mayoralty provide them with their compensation before they demolish their houses in the very near future.

The residents claimed yesterday that they have been living in the location for many years and some have lived there even "longer than the small river that runs through the housing complex".

"Therefore it is only fair for the mayoralty to provide compensation so that we can demolish our own buildings and move voluntarily," Sunardi, one of the residents, said as quoted by Suara Pembaruan daily.

The residents also demand that the mayoralty give them a new place to live.

On June 16 the mayoralty ordered the residents who live in the river banks to demolish their houses and move in two weeks. The mayoralty threatens to demolish the houses if they refuse to do so.

Last week the residents filed a complaint to the City Council's Commission A which oversees government affairs. The commission promised to contact the mayoralty to settle the problem.(yns)