Mayor defends demolitions

Mayor defends demolitions

JAKARTA (JP): West Jakarta Mayor Sutardjianto has defended
last week's demolition of shanties on the banks of the Angke
River.

In his written report to the city governor, Sutardjianto said
that the demolitions had been carried out properly.

Official demolition orders were sent to the residents, he
said.

"The 500 houses in the Kembangan Utara subdistrict and the 400
others in Kedoya Utara were all illegal, as they stood on the
riverbank," he said.

He said that his office would continue demolishing the
remaining houses until Nov. 17.

Earlier this week, residents of the subdistricts lodged
complaints with the city council, claiming that the mayoralty had
never sent them a single warning or demolition order. (yns)