Koja Utara residents get compensation

Koja Utara residents get compensation

JAKARTA (JP): As many as 355 families of Koja Utara, North
Jakarta, who work at the Tanjung Priok harbor have agreed to
accept the compensation money offered by the authorities and to
move from the area.

Ono Suryono, head of the All-Indonesia Workers Union unit of
Tanjung Priok harbor, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday that the
agreement between the families and the North Jakarta authorities
was reached on Friday.

The residents will get between Rp 100,000 and Rp 160,000 per
square meter for their property this week.

On Tuesday 315 families who are also PT Pelindo workers agreed
to move from Koja Utara after receiving transportation and
housing compensation from PT Pelindo II.

The state-owned company PT Pelindo, the legal owner of the
Koja area, is constructing a new cargo terminal on 90 hectares of
land there. The squatters have to give up the land.

At least 700 of the families, who are continuing to demand a
higher rate of compensation, refuse to move from the site.

The authorities offer compensation of between Rp 100,000 and
Rp 160,000 per square meter, while the disgruntled residents are
demanding Rp 2,275,000 per square meter.

Suryono denied that PT Pelindo pressured the workers to accept
the compensation. "They accepted the compensation sincerely after
being offered additional money for transportation and house rent,
and being informed that PT Pelindo is constructing low-cost
apartments for them."

PT Pelindo, which employs the 355 residents, will give each
family Rp 500,000 to rent housing and Rp 30,000 for transporting
their belongings to their new homes. The company is now
constructing low-cost apartments for 1,000 families in Cilincing,
North Jakarta. The workers can apply at no charge for the
apartments, he said.

Police have arrested one resident, Hasan Saman, who stands
accused of influencing other families to reject the compensation
and disturbing the ongoing cargo terminal project. (29)