Govt promises not to evict people for profit

Govt promises not to evict people for profit

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Responding to a protest against a presidential regulation on land
acquisition for public services, President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono has ordered all governors not to use the regulation to
evict people.

Minister of Public Works Djoko Kirmanto said on Thursday the
regulation was not intended to accommodate the interests of the
private sector or individuals.

"Evictions can only take place in the case of infrastructure
projects which have been stipulated in the city plan and (the
government) cannot scrap them, for example, the construction of
toll roads and the east flood canal," Djoko said after a meeting
with the President.

Thousands of farmers rallied in front of Merdeka Palace on
Wednesday to protest the new regulation. Similar demonstrations
took place in South Sumatra and Southeast Sulawesi.

State Secretary Sudi Silalahi said the government considered
the rallies an "acceptable" part of democracy.

However, he warned against the use of protests for political
interests by certain groups, particularly land middlemen.

"The regulation instead protects people's right to sell their
land without middlemen, who will take the advantage of the
construction of public infrastructure," Sudi said.

Susilo issued Presidential Regulation No. 36/2005 on the
development of land for public interests last month. The new
regulation allows the government to acquire land for construction
of public infrastructure at a rate determined by the taxable
value of the land instead of the market price.

Critics have warned that the regulation is likely to be abused
due to the obscure definition of public interests.

Former member of the National Commission on Human Rights
(Komnas HAM) HS Dillon said the protests against the regulation
reflected the public distrust of government officials,
particularly those who handled land issues.

He said people were concerned that government officials and
middlemen would seek benefit from land acquisition for
infrastructure projects because they could set a very low price
for the land to sell it at a very high price to investors.

"The President believes the decree will protect people from
these government officials and middlemen. But the common people
doubt that government officials will implement it properly. The
protest is not about the decree, but concerns of possible misuse
of the regulation," he said.

Article 5 of Presidential Regulation No. 36/2005

Construction projects for public interests conducted by the
government or local administrations include:

a. public roads, toll roads, railways (on the ground, underground
or above the ground), clean/drinking water system, drainage and
sanitation channels

b. dams, irrigation and other water-related infrastructure
construction

c. public hospitals and public health centers

d. seaport, airport, railway stations and bus terminals

e. religious sanctuaries

f. schools

g. public markets

h. public cemeteries

i. public security facilities

j. post and telecommunication facilities

k. sports facilities

l. radio, television stations and supporting infrastructure

m. offices of the government, local administration, foreign
embassies, United Nations and international agencies under the
United Nations

n. the facilities of the Indonesia Military and the National
Police

o. penitentiaries and detention centers

p. low-cost flats

q. dump sites

r. natural and cultural preservation sites

s. gardens

t. social institutions

u. electricity generators, transmission and distribution