Koja resident reopen talks on compensation

JAKARTA (JP): The state-owned port company PT Pelabuhan Indonesia II (Pelindo II) and the Ministry of Transportation have reopened negotiations on the amount of compensation for residents of Koja Utara subdistrict in North Jakarta.

After a number of previously tedious negotiations failed to reach an agreement, North Jakarta Mayor Separate decided to break the deadlock by offering between Rp 100,000 (US$46.8) and Rp 160,000 ($75) per square meter, Rp 10,000 higher than the rate set by PT Pelindo II.

Head of the Koja resident's delegation SM Hasan Saman told reporters on Saturday that the new negotiations involve the local residents' participation in resolving the matter.

"This is a step in the right direction because they have the same perception as us and will set a realistic compensation rate," Saman said.

He explained that local residents agreed to choose a committee to represent them in the negotiations. It was chosen during a meeting held on Oct. 31 with representatives of the two institutions.

Saman said that his committee maintains its earlier decision to demand compensation of Rp 2.27 million per square meter. This demand is set based on several elements in the value of taxable properties and the presidential decree on land appropriation.

"We are flexible and will accept some changes on the amount as long as it is reasonable," Saman explained.

The dispute over land compensation arose after PT Pelindo II announced last year it would appropriate 90 hectares of land inhabited by 9,037 families of almost 40,000 people. The company plans to build a new cargo terminal expansion project in a joint- venture with PT Humpuss, the widely diversified business group owned by the President's youngest son, Hutomo Mandala Putra.

The Koja Utara subdistrict, located adjacent to the Tanjung Priok container terminal, has been earmarked for a new cargo terminal extension site. The new terminal, which is being built at a cost of US$498-million, is expected to start operations in October 1998.

PT Pelindo II claims to have owned the land since the Dutch colonial era and categorized the inhabitants as tenants. However, the residents said they leased the land from the Dutch government and have lived there since Indonesia became a republic.

Meeting

On Saturday residents of Koja Utara met with representatives of Jakarta chapter of the Coordinating Agency for the Support of the National Stability (Bakorstanasda), the Jakarta Military Command and the North Jakarta police precinct to clarify the matter.

"We hold this meeting to avoid social unrest among the residents, feared because of the many cases of intimidation from irresponsible people," Saman said.

He explained that the meeting was imperative to pacify the residents. Some of the residents are unwilling to wait any longer and intend to file a complaint at the office of National Commission of Human Rights and to the Indonesian Legal Aid.

"We want to avoid the residents being agitated by the irresponsible people, so we invited security officers to help us," Saman said.

Lt.Col. Edi Darmadi, chief of the North Jakarta police precinct, said that, on the whole, security in the area is still under control. He urged residents not to be susceptible to rumors, which could harm security.

"Please don't make a wrong move. If you trust the committee members with the negotiations just listen to everything they say," Edi said.

Saman said that out of the 9,000 families, about 3,000 refused to take the compensation offered by the mayor. (yns)