Development and demolishing

From Media Indonesia

It seems not too long ago that several newspapers in the capital, as well as some television stations, were covering the demolition operations of squatter huts on the banks of the Ciliwung river. The operations were led by a team from the Jakarta Municipal Office.

It is said that the municipality's strategy justifies cleaning operations of rivers, including squatter huts built on river banks, which opposes present city planning. Apart from the reasons offered, squatter settlements along rivers are one of the main causes of flooding in Jakarta.

It is further said that the one-time 50-meter-wide Ciliwung river has been reduced to a width of only a few meters.

On the other hand, the daily Kompas reported that the Angke river, as the estuary of the city's main flood canal and the Ciliwung river, has been filled in by a developer for the construction of luxury apartments. His act was justified by the Jakarta Municipal Office through the North Jakarta mayor since it is in line with present city planning.

The irony of it is overwhelming. On one side, are squatter huts on river banks razed to the ground without mercy, while on the other, expensive apartments are rising, not only on river banks, but right on the Angke river, which used to function as a combined estuary for the Banjir Kanal and Ciliwung river.

We appeal to the Jakarta Municipal Office not to be discriminative in the implementation of its development program. If the plan should include that all rivers be cleansed, please do so without discrimination.

Do not be selective; this will only widen the social gap and aggravate social envy, which, in turn will threaten the nation's unity. We have to maintain a united nation at all costs, especially in this era of globalization and with the approaching future elections.

We fully support the opinion of Moch. Aman of the Armed Forces faction. Filling in the Angke river is in no way justified. All rivers should be cleansed from obstructive elements regardless of social ranking.

SIEGVRIEDA LAUWANI

Jakarta