Eviction victims seeks NU's help

After failing to get appropriate compensation from the city administration, 15 people representing forced eviction victims came to the office of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) to seek former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid's help.

However, the victims, accompanied by at least 14 non- government organizations under the banner of Jaringan Anti Penggusuran (the Network for Anti Forced Eviction), failed to meet the former president, who is the chief of NU's patron board.

They were received by one NU executive, Andi Jamaro Dulung, who pledged to follow up the matter through the organisation's members in the government and the legislative body.

The victims of forced evictions represented illegal squatters in Teluk Gong in North Jakarta, Halim in East Jakarta, and street vendors operating along Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin in Central Jakarta.

One of the victims, Nassar, said they had decided to go to the NU headquarters because they had failed to get a solution from the government.

Previously, they have sought the assistance of the city council and the National Human Rights Committee. --JP