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)