Many illegal brothels in Kalijodo remain standing

Many illegal brothels in Kalijodo remain standing

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Many illegal buildings located on the banks of the West Flood
Canal in the Kalijodo brothel and gambling complex in Penjaringan
district, North Jakarta, remain standing despite the city
administration's avowed intention of demolishing them.

The deputy chief of Penjaringan district, Usmayadi, said on
Saturday that the demolition of some 150 buildings along the bank
had been delayed indefinitely as the owners had refused to accept
the Rp 500,000 compensation offered to each of them by the
administration.

The city administration had earlier demolished more than one
thousand squatters' shanties located along riverbanks in the
capital as they were blamed for worsening the recent flooding in
Jakarta. The compensation paid for each shanty was only Rp
100,000. The demolitions were carried out forcibly amid strong
protests by many of the squatters.

In the case of Kalijodo, the administration is unable to use
force as the complex is controlled by hoodlum gangs, backed by
local police and officials.

Usmayadi said that the administration would demolish some 400
structures in Kalijodo.

"Our first priority is the 150 structures located along the
canal bank, while the rest will be our long-term target. However,
due to the lack of compensation we have had to cancel the plan
indefinitely," he said.

The second phase involving the demolition of 250 buildings
located inside the residential compound will be the hardest, as
many of the structures date back to 1954. Some of the building
owners claim they have building permits.

"All of the buildings in Kalijodo are illegal. It's state-
owned land. They managed to build their houses back in the
1950's, when the area was still a swamp.

"For long-term residents, we will pay Rp 30,000 per square
meter in compensation," said Usmayadi.

The city administration is planning to build a low-cost
apartment complex for the poor to replace the brothels and
gambling dens, which provided the inspiration for the movie Ca
Bau Kan.

Daeng Rusdi, who owns a brothel right on the canal bank,
angrily claimed that the administration should pay him proper
compensation.

"I built this two-story brothel 10 years ago and it's now my
source of livelihood. Now they want to demolish it and give me
only Rp 500,000? No way. I will resist," said Daeng, who
originally comes from Makassar, South Sulawesi.

Daeng, like many other people in the complex, has put his
business on hold since the city administration officially closed
the red-light district late last month.

"I will move to Jelambar, West Jakarta, where I'll open a
(similar) business. But I'm afraid that if I leave this house
now, the city administration will demolish it," he said.

The city administration postponed the demolition of the
remaining 400 buildings in Kalijodo on Feb. 27 after having
already demolished 180 buildings. The decision to close Kalijodo
was made following a brawl between two hoodlum groups in the area
last month.

The residents of Kalijodo have also asked for the help of
local activists of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI-P), as indicated by the hoisting of the party's flag on
several buildings.

Residents were seen congregating at the alleyway leading into
the complex, closely scrutinizing strangers. Meanwhile, huge PDI-
P flags were also seen hanging in front of and along the length
of the alleyway.