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.