'Evictions will improve city's image'

Thousands of squatters in Jembatan Besi, West Jakarta, grieved over the recent demolition of their makeshift houses. The squatters had been living since 1998 in the 5.5-hectare plot of land owned by PT Cakra Wira Bumi Mandala, when some 1,500 police, military and city public order officers, allegedly assisted by hired men used force in evicting them. The Jakarta Post talked to some city residents who witnessed the eviction.

Simun, 31, is an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver operating in Jembatan Besi, West Jakarta. He lives in Cengkareng, West Jakarta, with his wife and two children:

We have to admit that many people here lack awareness of property rights. The recent eviction proves just how poor their awareness is.

These people easily claim others' property as their own, just because they've lived on it for so long. It's ridiculous, but is a common occurrence here.

I know that the hardships of living in the city, to some extent, has made them behave in this way. But still it is a violation, isn't it? They have no right at all in this case.

The recent eviction turned into a riot because some squatters tried to save their businesses in the area.

There were also some hoodlums who had rented their houses, and they did not want their illegal property demolished as part of the eviction.

So these thugs, along with other squatters, were fighting against the eviction, while the authorities allegedly brought along hoodlums of their own to fight the squatters.

I suspect the police were given a lot of money to evict the squatters, as they would not risk their lives just to carry out a routine eviction.

Johan, 38, is married with two children, and lives with his family near the eviction site in Jembatan Besi, West Jakarta:

Actually, I felt sorry for the illegal residents who were evicted. Some of them are my friends, and I know they're facing hard times.

I don't think I could stand behind them in this because they were in the wrong. It's best just to stand aside and watch from afar.

I do agree with evictions of this kind, because it will improve the image of the city.

Squatters don't have the right to occupy others' property for any reason.

If the city administration ignores this condition throughout the city, Jakarta will have more and more slum areas. Certainly, they won't contribute to the image of the city.

Worse, it won't attract foreign tourists to come visit and invest their money in the metropolis.

This is a lesson for both city dwellers and the government, to always maintain the city in good order.

Marzuki, 39, lives in Kemandoran, West Jakarta, with his wife and three children. He was passing by the area when the eviction took place:

I don't exactly understand the eviction problem here. But I think both parties are wrong in many ways.

The landowner has the right to tell the squatters when they initially occupied the location, that they could only stay for a while until the true owner came to take it back one day.

The landowner should has established a good communication with the people from the very beginning.

He should have also informed the local administration about the situation.

I think both the landowner and the squatters should be aware of their rights and the consequences, in order to prevent an unexpected dispute when the owner asks them to move out.

Unfortunately, not all city dwellers possess this awareness. A hard life of survival has caused them to take other's belongings without any qualms. The longer they have lived in an area, the less willing they are to move.

-- Leo Wahyudi S.