Golkar offers help to scavengers

JAKARTA (JP): The North Jakarta chapter of the ruling Golkar party is offering to help the thousands of people whose shanty homes were demolished last week to make way for a development project.

Deputy chief of the Golkar chapter Posman Siahaan said that the political organization will help the displaced people so long as they can prove that they are the rightful owners of the land.

Siahaan made the remarks in response to Lembaga Swadaya Makmur Foundation's request that Golkar extend a helping hand to the homeless.

"We will use legal channels to help them," Siahaan said as quoted by Antara. He added that North Jakarta mayor Suprawito can be brought to trial if the residents have evidence to prove that the demolition was illegal.

"We re ready to play a mediatory role to resolve the conflict amicably," Siahaan said. Suprawito as a Golkar member, Siahaan said, should listen to what Golkar says, he argued.

Most of the thousands of homeless families belong to the Indonesian Scavengers Association, which has threatened the mayor with legal action.

The residents last week brought their case to the National Commission on Human Rights. (pan)