`How will we survive after the reclamation?'

`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