'Just send the squatters home'

World Population Day fell on July 11 but many observers say little is being done to address population issues, including the desperate existence of squatters worldwide. The Jakarta Post asked residents their opinion of how the city administration should deal with squatters.

Bobby, 24, is a student at a private university in East Jakarta. A Jakarta native, he lives with his parents in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta:

The city administration should curb the influx of migrants by beefing up sweeps at Jakarta's entrances points, such as the intercity bus terminals and railway stations.

Jobless migrants should be sent home immediately before they squat and establish settlements here.

For the existing squatters, the administration should pay for their tickets home. If necessary the administration should use stern measures to push squatters out of the city. Sometimes we should ignore human rights.

However, at the same time, the central government should accelerate economic decentralization. The government should help create jobs in the villages.

Tasrif, 29, sells pirated VCDs on Jl. Sudirman in Central Jakarta and lives with his wife and children in Depok. He came to Jakarta from Padang, West Sumatra, five years ago:

The Jakarta administration should provide more low-cost housing for the poor so they can improve their standard of living.

Although I am a migrant myself, I think the number of squatters in Jakarta is out of control. Jakarta should take measures to stop migrants from coming to the city.

The city administration should pay close attention to places where squatters are likely to establish settlements, like along riverbanks and railways. Once one hut is erected on, say, a riverbank, the administration must act quickly to move the squatters out of the area.

It would be worse if the administration let them live there for years and then moved them out by burning down their huts or beating them.

--The Jakarta Post