Families take compensation

TANGERANG: The remaining four families in the way of the highway linking Tangerang city with the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport have decided to take the compensation money, after being threatened with a forcible eviction.

The four were the last of 472 families displaced by the Jl. Marsekal Surya Darma II highway. They took the money after a year of disputing the amount of compensation, which they said was too low.

Their decision came after a meeting with Tangerang Mayor Wahidin Halim and officials from airport operator PT Angkasa Pura on Tuesday. In the meeting, the administration threatened to forcibly evict the four families within a week.

The other 468 families took the compensation early last year for Rp 150,000 (US$18) per square-meter of land and Rp 125,000 per square-meter of building.

The four families holding out wanted the city to pay Rp 1 million per square-meter of land and Rp 600,000 per square-meter of building.

The administration then increased their offer of compensation to Rp 300,000 per square-meter of land and Rp 250,000 per square- meter of building. But the families rejected the decision.

Apriali, a resident who owned 296-square-meters of land, said he insisted on higher compensation because his home was built on a strategic location for business.

"I don't think the (final) compensation will be enough to buy a land or a house elsewhere. But I have no power to oppose the administration," he said on Wednesday.

Municipality spokesman Chaerudin, said: "We could no longer tolerate their stance, which has hampered the construction of public facilities. Therefore we decided to force them out of their homes. They can claim the compensation money at the Tangerang District Court."

Most part of the new road has been opened for public since July 2003, except in the area around the four families' houses. PT Angkasa Pura financed the construction cost for more than Rp 20 billion while the administration paid for clearing the land. -- JP