Evictees demand promised relief

JAKARTA: Hundreds of evictees from Cengkareng Timur, Jembatan Besi and Tanjung Duren Selatan, all in West Jakarta, held a protest on Thursday in front of the offices of the Coordinating Minister of People's Welfare and the Ministry of Social Affairs, demanding the government make good on its promise to distribute relief goods.

"Both ministers have promised to distribute about 1,000 packages, according to the data we gave them," said Marlo Sitompul, coordinator of the Coalition of Evicted People (PRT). "But they have distributed only 290 packages, of which 190 were received by people who weren't even evicted!"

Thursday's rally is the third this month. Previously, PRT has protested the mistargeted packages and the ministers promised to investigate the case and distribute more packages. Each aid package contains Rp 300,000 (US$35) in cash, 30 kilograms of rice, two blankets and a sarong.

Besides demanding the fulfillment of the promises, they also asked the government to provide proper housing for the poor. -- JP