Golkar offers help to scavengers

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)