Demolition in Rawamangun

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)