Evicting slum dwellers

Evicting slum dwellers

From Forum Keadilan

Evictions carried out by the city administration have been a cause of great concern, especially because they have been done in the name of city development. This eviction has sacrificed people at the grassroots level in order to make the city development program successful.

Within a short period, thousands of residents in some areas of Jakarta have become homeless. They have lost both their property and their tears. As common people, they can no longer cry, although they have been subject to human rights violations and violent acts.

In fact, these people had lived in the areas concerned for decades before they were evicted. They were the first people to fill with soil the swampy, neglected, empty ground. They worked on the areas without any assistance from the Jakarta administration. But, now, while they were at last enjoying the fruit of their great efforts, the city authorities suddenly evicted them without giving them a chance to save their belongings.

Shouldn't they be allowed to benefit from their great effort in converting swampy areas into living ones? Why should they have to abandon the land to which the city administration used to pay no heed? Why should they be dislodged and thrown out of the areas they have turned into proper dwelling places?

SUKANTO LEMAN

Jakarta