Govts guilty of illegal evictions

Govts guilty of illegal evictions

JAKARTA: The East Jakarta District Court on Thursday ordered
the East Jakarta municipal and Makassar district administrations
to rebuild houses in Pinang Ranti they had bulldozed in an
illegal eviction earlier this month.

The court found the evictions and destruction of property in
the three-hectare site were illegal because the two parties
claiming the land had not resolved their legal dispute.

The court also ordered the administration to pay Rp 100
billion (US$10.8 million) to the squatters as compensation,
Tempointeraktif.com news online reported.

Lawyer Arlys Charniago, who represents the East Jakarta
administration, said after the trial the city would appeal the
decision. -- JP