Kedoya squatters finally demolish their own homes
Kedoya squatters finally demolish their own homes
JAKARTA (JP): Open space has been created along an old slum
area on the Pasanggrahan riverbank as some 120 squatters
dutifully demolished their own homes earlier this week.
When West Jakarta city administrators arrived at the site on
Tuesday to demolish the slum area, no houses were left to be
demolished.
"We realize that we're in the wrong, there's no point fighting
it" Mrs. Djojo, a longtime resident of South Kedoya subdistrict
in West Jakarta, admitted.
Mrs. Djojo, who was the first to demolish her house, said that
most residents had accepted the consequences of violating two
regulations: one which prohibits living on riverbanks, and 1988
regional decrees on public security and sanitation.
"There were not many choices for little people like us. When
we first came here in 1984, this plot was completely
uninhabited," Mrs. Marbun told The Jakarta Post when asked how
her family ended up on the compound.
"I feel better removing my belongings rather than watching
others heartlessly demolish it," Mrs. Djojo said.
Piles of roof tiles neatly collected by former owners marked
the sites where the houses once stood.
"This way, we can try to save what we can," she added, pulling
out rusty nails from blocks of wood.
Squatters received demolition orders of their houses on
Jan. 21. The orders gave the squatters until Feb. 1 to dismantle
their houses and leave the area.
"Essentially, we asked that the compensation be increased from
only Rp 50,000," she explained.
Karsidin, an officer at the West Jakarta mayoralty, said that
squatters were compensated up to Rp 100,000 for the demolition of
their houses by the government.
A series of demolitions have been carried out in the Kedoya
area over the past six months. The first was launched in November
in the sub-district of Northern Kedoya, with rage erupting into
violent clashes which injured mayoralty officials, residents and
journalists.
Officers on Tuesday demolished a 2.5-meter high wall which
separated the Green Garden housing estate from the now abandoned
slum area. The strip of demolished slums along the riverbank
stretches along 2,5 kms. (14)