House hearing with governor Sutiyoso turns farcical
House hearing with governor Sutiyoso turns farcical
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A hearing on evictions between Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso and
House of Representatives Commission II for home affairs turned
into a farce on Thursday as commission deputy chairman Abdul
Rachman Gaffar, who presided over the hearing, prevented invited
evictees and urban observers from criticizing Sutiyoso.
Gaffar, a legislator from the Indonesian Military and Police
faction, whose last rank was major general in the Indonesian
Army, repeatedly shouted that the hearing was not intended to put
Sutiyoso, whose last rank was lieutenant general, on "trial."
"This is a hearing between Commission II and Pak Sutiyoso," he
asserted. "So, let commission members speak first, and we will
let members of Pawang (Coalition of People Against Eviction)
speak after that."
He tried to cut in and interrupt every time the evictees or
urban observers spoke. He snapped at anybody, including the
legislators, who tried to criticize Sutiyoso or counter his
statements and allowed those making a speech supportive of the
governor more time.
Early in the hearing, Sutiyoso read a written speech,
repeating his previous statements about evictions, saying that it
was a law enforcement matter and it was his task as the leader of
the city to do that.
"We saw what happened in May 1998 when people violated the
law, looting and raping. These evictions are only to give the
people a lesson to respect the law, as legal certainty is one of
the major concerns of investors in the capital," he argued.
After the speech, Sutiyoso did not say much as the legislators
were busy debating whether Pawang members should be given time to
talk or not.
Tired of being interrupted and treated harshly by Gaffar,
Nursyahbani Katjasungkana, a noted human rights activist and
member of the People's Consultative Assembly, questioned his
attitude.
"I'm really disappointed at the way you are presiding over the
hearing. The point of the hearing is we want to tell the governor
that his way of treating the urban poor is wrong," she said to
Gaffar, who listened and grinned at her.
The coalition accommodates the evictees and noted scholars,
social workers and urban architects like Romo (priest) Sandyawan
Sumardi, Franz Magnis-Suseno, Nursyahbani, Karlina Leksono-
Supelli, Herry Priyono and Marco Kusumawijaya.
They were invited by the commission and brought papers on a
concept of city development that involved the community,
including the urban poor.
"But as you can see for yourself, we did not get a chance to
offer the concept (to the administration)," said Sandyawan after
the hearing. "At least Sutiyoso has invited us to meet another
time. We shall arrange a time and urge the government to form a
national forum to find solutions on urban poor housing."
He said that he expected the forum to have officials from the
National Land Agency, the Ministry of Settlement and Regional
Infrastructure, Jakarta administration, academics and urban
architects.
"I have discussed the community-based development concept with
some concerned urban experts, and they all said it was feasible,"
he added. "The key is political will on behalf of the
government."