Koja residents disprove charges of destruction
JAKARTA (JP): Residents of Koja Utara have proved untrue accusations that they had vandalized equipment belonging to a company wanting to acquire their property for a multi million- dollar port project.
The leader of a Koja delegation representing residents, Hasan Saman, said Saturday they had invited representatives from the mayoralty, the company, the military and the police to check out the facts on site. However, only the local military commander, Capt. Mohamad Nuh, complied.
When pressed for comment, on the latest development of the prolonged conflict, Nuh refused to go into specifics. He only said that all the parties involved should try to solve the problem amicably.
Delegation leader Hasan Saman showed Capt. Nuh the places where residents allegedly vandalized the company's property. The accusation was brought in jointly by the company, PT Pelindo II, and the North Jakarta mayoralty and involved property located on Jl. Pantai Laut, Gudang Baru, the Jl. Dobo public cemetery and Jl. Gang 64.
On Jl. Dobo, Hasan Saman showed the apparently undamaged sheds which, according to the accusations, residents were said to have demolished.
"They (the company and the mayoralty) were lying about the demolition, all the barracks are still in good condition," Hasan said.
The delegation also showed the military official the 50-meter- long zinc fence on Jl. Gang 64, which had collapsed. According to Hasan, the collapse was caused by a construction fault rather than willful destruction by residents.
"How can they make the foundation a mere 15 centimeters deep for a zinc fence in such water-drenched land," Hasan said, showing the official the unearthed foundation of the still undamaged zinc fence.
The dispute, over land compensation, arose after PT Pelindo II announced last year it would appropriate 90 hectares of land, which was initially inhabited by more than 9,000 families, of which, at present, only fewer than 2,000 families remain. The company plans to build a cargo terminal expansion, in a joint- venture with PT Humpuss, the widely diversified business group owned by President Soeharto's youngest son, Hutomo Mandala Putra.
After a number of negotiations failed to reach an agreement, North Jakarta Mayor Suprawito decided to break the deadlock by offering between Rp 100,000 to Rp 160,000 per square meter, or Rp 10,000 higher than the rate set by the PT Pelindo II.
The Koja residents, however, initially insisted that the compensation be set at Rp 2,275 million per square meter.
So far, according to Hasan Saman, more than 1,500 families have resolved to remain on the land until they are offered an appropriate amount in compensation.
The Koja Utara subdistrict, which is located next to the Tanjung Priok container terminal, has been earmarked for a new cargo terminal site. The new terminal, which is being built at the cost of US$498-million, is expected to start operation in October 1998. (01)