Free houses for fishermen turn into slum

Free houses for fishermen turn into slum

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The idea was to provide decent houses for fishermen living in
Ancol subdistrict, North Jakarta. But only two years after the
houses were built, the Sungai Tiram housing complex at Marunda
subdistrict has turned into a filthy slum.

The complex's 206 semi-permanent houses were established in
the middle of swamp and household garbage site. Each house is
only 12-square-meter with the bamboo-made wall and untiled floor.

Hygiene is far from adequate as the ditch surrounded the
complex was completely blocked, full of garbage and harmful
insects. The ditch was seen built with inaccurate calculation, as
it ended on the swamp which is as high as the houses.

Clean water is a luxury need for the residents due to their
difficulties in finding water source in the area. With the
complex lies five kilometers from the sea, the soil water is
salty.

Only two public toilets are available for the residents with
each toilet comprises of only five lavatories. Each person must
pay Rp 200 (US cents 2) for urinating or excrementing and Rp 500
for taking a bath and washing clothes.

Both toilets are the only source of clean water for residents.
The water was brought in by a tanker truck twice a week. The
residents have bought the clean water for cooking and drinking
for around Rp 500 per five liters since living in the complex.

Twenty of the 206 houses were vacant. The empty houses were
deserted, partly drenched and submerged by water. They become the
perfect breeding spots for mosquitoes.

A prominent figure among fishermen in the complex, Hardjono,
said residents of the complex were all victims of eviction mostly
from Ancol subdistrict.

"They, including me, were victims of eviction conducted by the
administration. The officials had demolished our houses because
the lot is now used to a water sport arena," he said, adding that
he has been living in the complex since January 2001.

Despite its function as fishermen houses, the complex does not
reflect the life of fishermen as there was no net nor any fishing
equipment were virtually seen.

The complex was about to loose its characteristic and function
as a fishermen's compound because 40 percent of total residents
were not fishermen.

Hardjono said non-fishermen have managed to live in the
complex since many fishermen opted to move out. They claimed the
complex was not a strategic place to support their day to day
activities.

"We got this semi-permanent house for free from the
administration along with the house certificate. Unfortunately,
the complex was too far from the sea and also the Tiram river
where we harbor our boats," he said.

Hardjono claimed the North Jakarta mayoralty have not been
objected with the residents selling the house.

Mulyati, a non-fishermen resident, told The Jakarta Post that
her interest to buy two houses in the complex was due to their
cheap prices.

"I bought this two houses, complete with the house
certificates, for only Rp 12 million from two fishermen. They
sold the house because of the difficult location from the sea,"
said Mulyati, who runs a grocery kiosk.

Another fisherman, Amad, admitted he had planned to sell the
house due to the location and would use the money to build a
house at the seashore.

"I have to spare additional money for the fuel and for buying
new paddles. Someone had stolen my paddles for the fifth times
last week. I could not guard my boat, as the harboring lot is 200
meters away from here. That's my other reason to sell my house,"
said Amad.