Evicted fishermen cry for clean water

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

About 430 families who were evicted from their homes in Muara Angke, North Jakarta, and are now living in makeshift wooden houses, demanded that city-owned water operator PD PAM Jaya supply them with clean water.

The evictees, mostly fishermen and their families, were living in houses built on state land previously used for fish ponds. Their houses on the bank of the Muara Angke River were torn down by public order officers last October.

Warsiman, 35, one of the evictees, said on Wednesday he spent Rp 9,000 (US$1.06) of his Rp 15,000 daily income buying clean water for his family for drinking, cooking, washing and bathing.

"We spend more money on clean water than on food," he told The Jakarta Post.

Suroto, a local water vendor, said he sold the evictees' water for between Rp 750 and Rp 1,000 per 20-liter jerrican.

He said he used to charge Rp 500 per jerrican when the residents were living in their old houses along the river, because it was closer to the source of the clean water.

"When the residents were in their old houses, I only had to push my cart about 500 meters. Now I have to push it two kilometers, so I'm charging more," Suroto said.

Warsiman, who lives with his wife and two children, requires about 10 to 12 cans of clean water a day.

PD PAM Jaya has promised to supply the evictees with clean water in two large containers, but after three months there is still no water from the company.

"I don't know when they will supply us with clean water," said Warki, 45, a neighborhood unit head.

He expressed hope PD PAM Jaya would live up to its promise to provide clean water for the area, so residents could stop spending all of their money on water.

Warki also said that each resident received Rp 500,000 in compensation from the North Jakarta municipality administration after the demolition of their houses. But, he added, the money was not enough to build new homes.

"You see that my house has no walls because I can't afford to buy plywood," said Warki, who lives with his wife and two of his four children.

Ganda, a fisherman, complained that their new homes were far from where they tied up their boats along the Muara Angke River. Many people are starting work later because they have to walk two kilometers to reach the river and their boats.

"Of course, it affects my income," he said.