JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of families remain living in and

JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of families remain living in and
defending their war-zone-like neighborhood in Guntur sub-
district, South Jakarta, amid escalating tension between the
residents and the area's developer, PT Kuningan Persada.

In a bid to construct the 24-hectare Empire Tower on Jl.
Rasuna Said, the developer has begun appropriating the plots,
constructing the foundation, digging large entrenchments and
piling up mounds around the houses.

"It's a primitive way of life in a metropolis like Jakarta,"
Atika Shahab said, referring to her tiny home inside the
construction war zone.

According to Atika, the developer has offered the remaining
families Rp 1 million per square meter as compensation for their
land.

"It's a mere pittance. We cannot purchase new houses even in
the suburbs with that tiny sum," Atika stated flatly.

An official of PT Kuningan Persada in charge of the land
appropriation, Welfrid M., explained yesterday that the offer is
the best the company can do.

"The district head had earlier fought for higher compensation
and the one million figure is the result of his tireless
struggle," said Welfrid, who steadfastly declined to reveal his
family name.

According to Welfrid, only one percent of the 24-hectare-area
being appropriated is still being occupied by its owners, who
remain adamant in their demands for higher compensation.

That stance has reduced the Shahabs and the other six families
in one of the two Guntur neighborhood communities affected by the
project to a wretched existence. There are more families in the
other neighborhood community, although no precise figures are
available.

"This morning they cut the pipes of our clean water supply,"
said Tuti Husin, pointing at the muddy creek building in front of
her house caused by water flowing from the broken pipes.

The mother of three daughters said that she is afraid small
children in the neighborhood might drown in the one-meter deep
entrenchment.

According to Tuti, the developer has created what resembles a
war zone in the area in which empty houses were destroyed and
surrounded by tall grass and high mounds to force the remaining
residents to relinquish their plots.

Their siege tactics have proven effective. Several of the
residents, including Superdi, have recently opted to leave.

"Last December I gave up the plots for Rp 850,000 per square
meter and rented a small shop in Pasar Manggis market," recalled
Superdi, the tailor of the area who owned a 25-square-meter
kiosk.

Dozens of residents told The Jakarta Post yesterday that they
also face security problems, lavatory and drainage disruptions,
and electricity shortages, not to mention floods during the rainy
season.

"The developer has demolished both our mosque and security
posts. They also destroyed all the community systems we built,"
moaned Muslimin Panggabean, adding that thieves have frequently
burglarized houses in the area.

Nevertheless, Welfrid said in a separate interview that the
developer has never demolished buildings nor dug entrenchments on
plots that did not belong to it, stressing that the developer
will never sway from its stated goal of finishing the project.

"We'll move forward and it is better for the remaining
residents to accept our offer rather then face forcible eviction
by the local government," he advised. (09)