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