Koja Utara dispute is settled: Mayor

JAKARTA (JP): Despite the opposition of some residents, North Jakarta Mayor Suprawito insists that the appropriation of the land for the Koja Utara cargo terminal project has been settled and is in accordance with the plans.

According to Suprawito the problems arose when construction of the project was to be started and the remaining residents refused to accept the compensation rate set by the mayoralty.

"To change the compensation rate is impossible," Suprawito told reporters over the weekend, claiming that only 1,200 families remained on the site.

The North Jakarta mayor, through an earlier decree, has set the land compensation rate for Koja Utara residents at amounts ranging from only Rp 100,000 (US$45.45) to Rp 165,000 per square meter, depending on the land. Residents initially demanded at least Rp 2.275 million a square meter, but said they were willing to negotiate.

Residents said they were not surprised by Suprawito's stance.

"He has been saying the same thing since 1991. He always says the compensation has been settled but in fact it has not," Martin, a resident told the Jakarta Post.

"What we want is to discuss the compensation," Martin said.

Martin and other remaining families oppose any construction before the problem of land compensation has been settled.

The remaining families last week set up a 24-hour guard post to keep watch over the site.

Near the post some banners were hung, one saying, "No construction before land compensation is settled."

The dispute over the land arose after state-owned company PT Pelindo II, in a joint-venture with PT Humpuss, announced the plan to appropriate 90 hectares of land to build a cargo terminal last year. (01)