`How will we survive after the reclamation?'

The reclamation plan for the city's north coast has drawn strong objections due to its possible environmental and social impacts. The Rp 20 trillion project plans to reclaim more than 5,000 hectares of marine and coastal area. The Jakarta Post talked to some people in the area.

Cemon, 40, is a fisherman who has worked for years in Muara Angke, North Jakarta. His wife and two children live in Indramayu, West Java:

I don't disagree with the project, but I'm concerned that reclaiming the land will wipe out our source of income as fishermen here. Where will we go and how will we make a living?

City officials don't appreciate our hardships or what it is like to be a fisherman. I've worked for almost 20 years here. However, I don't make enough money to survive. I've had to ask my boss to loan me money because I have to go home to visit my family.

It's getting hard to make a living from fishing as the fish are getting scarce, and surely the project will just make the situation worse?

I'm sure a lot of the fishermen will have to put up with more difficult living conditions once the project starts.

Sapto, 20, lives in Luar Batang, North Jakarta. He used to work as a laborer at a plastics factory in North Jakarta:

I completely disagree with the city administration's idea to go ahead with the reclamation plan.

One thing for sure is that the project will only provoke conflict between local residents living nearby and the city government.

One of the impacts of the reclamation is that there will be massive eviction of slum-dwellers. I think nobody will be willing to be evicted.

Only if the government were willing to fund the residents' relocation, say, each home getting around Rp 30 million, could conflict and protest be avoided.

However, the city government has thus far not resolved fairly disputes with evicted people.

Worse still, the reclamation will cause more severe flooding in my area. My house is usually inundated by one-meter-deep water, without any reclamation scheme in place.

Mulyono, 21, is a scavenger who operates in an industrial area in Muara Baru, North Jakarta. His wife and son live in Central Java. He lives under the toll road in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta:

I think the reclamation project will only create more trouble for low-income people like me.

I guess the scheme will make use of land, sand and even the mounting trash around here to reclaim some areas. If trash is taken directly to the project, how will we make a living?

You know, most scavengers here survive by sifting through garbage. Frankly speaking, I'm extremely worried about the upcoming reclamation project in case it is implemented. I'm afraid there won't be anything left to be collected.

Perhaps it will become harder to survive after that. Even now I find it hard to get by on only Rp 10,000 a day, let alone when the reclamation project starts.

I have to accept my fate for what it is because we are born to be poor and always downtrodden by the rich, let alone the government, which never sides with the poor.

Nining, 16, is a domestic helper at a food stall close to the central fish market in Muara Baru, North Jakarta:

I really don't know that much about the reclamation plan. I'm just an ordinary person trying to make a living in the city.

However, should the city government carry out the plan, it might spark protest from residents here.

Besides, I also worry that the city government will force us to move from here. I was evicted from East Jakarta two years ago and ended up here with my relatives.

Kadis, 53, has been working as a becak (pedicab) driver for more than three years. He lives in Gedong Kopang, North Jakarta. His wife and seven children live in Pemalang, Central Java:

I don't agree with the reclamation plan. It's bound to affect the lives of many people here, including me.

The majority of local residents are people on low incomes and they might forcibly be evicted. They would protest the project.

It would be better to allocate some of the trillions (of rupiah) in project funds to provide simple housing for the poor here. That would likely minimize the worst impact of the project, I think.

I guess the reclaimed areas will be available only to the rich,who can afford to run businesses there.

Worse still, I probably won't get many passengers, as most of the well-off people will have cars. I'm sure none will take a becak. Therefore, I won't earn enough to support my family back in my village.

-- Leo Wahyudi S