Land, building disputes up in 1996: City Council

JAKARTA (JP): The City Council announced yesterday that 51 of the 82 protests by people last year were related to land disputes.

However Djenny Suharso, deputy chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party faction at the Council, said the number had increased from the 25 protests relating to land disputes in 1995.

"The increased number of people protesting indicates that people are more aware of their rights.

"Unfortunately, because most of the protesters lacked legal knowledge they were in weaker positions in the disputes," he said.

Djenny, a member of Commission A for administrative affairs, said most of the people had been, or were, squatting on state property, including riverbanks, grassed areas or land along railway lines.

He said in a way the administration had been too lenient with the squatters when they first established homes in the areas.

"Letting them build shanties on state property made them think they were allowed to live there for good," Djenny said.

He said the law should have been enforced as soon as a few people squatted on the land, because it took years for thousands of squatters to build their houses.

"Therefore, not only are the people to blame in land disputes. The administration's inability to handle state-owned property has also triggered disputes," Djenny said.

He also said the administration's policy of maximizing the use of land had yet to be properly implemented.

"This has caused disputes between the administration and the residents," he said.

He cited as an example the arbitrary demolition of residents' houses in some areas designated as business areas or office complexes. (ste)