N. Jakarta's fire victims fear eviction plan

JAKARTA (JP): The 5,914 fire victims of Pademangan Barat subdistrict, North Jakarta, who are still facing a shortage of water and proper shelters, have expressed concern over a city plan which might evict them from the area.

Speaking with The Jakarta Post at the site on Saturday, the residents also complained about the poor handling of public donations managed by city officials.

"I think the officials don't care what happens to us. They just want to evict us from this land," said Rusdi, a father of four.

Rusdi admitted that he heard about the city's plan to remove the local people a few days after the May general election.

"But we haven't been asked by city officials to discuss the plan together," he said.

Based on Gubernatorial Decree No. 932/1997, the Pademangan Barat area is included in the city's rejuvenation plan.

City assistant for development and economic affairs, Prawoto Danoemihardjo, said that the five hectares of homes in Pademangan Barat which were gutted by fire on Tuesday were part of 150 hectares planned for the Kemayoran development project.

The area is to be developed into commercial sites, offices and low-cost apartments.

The fire at Pademangan Barat gutted 1,297 houses, home to 5,914 people.

Some of the residents suspected that the fire was intentionally set so the city municipality could kick out residents.

"I saw land brokers walking around the area just before the fire started. What were they doing here? They only said that the area would be changed into commercial sites," said another resident, Alkan.

The residents hoped that the city municipality would change the plan.

"We plea to city officials not to abandon us. Where else are we going to live?" said Andi, another fire victim.

Reimbursed

Officer Prawoto said the victims would be reimbursed for the decimated land and houses provided by PT Sarana Jaya, which would amount to rental of a house in the city for one year.

PT Sarana Jaya is the city housing developer which will later build apartments at the site.

Prawoto said the victims could rent or buy the apartments once they were finished. "And ownership is based on legal papers, certificates and identification cards," he said.

A Pademangan Barat resident and former city councilor, Yan M. Winatasasmita, said: "The most important thing for us is the return of our homes. Don't just think about the city's interest, think about the little people, too."

Yan, who was appointed as chief of the committee for the fire victims, also strongly objected to North Jakarta Mayor Suprawito's order to ban residents from rebuilding their homes.

The fire victims, including their children, have been staying at temporary shelters, such as tents, mosques and school buildings.

"All the shelters cannot even hold all the residents," Yan said, questioning the city's plan to locate victims to proper shelters.

Residents were scared of their children's' health due to the lack of tents and places to stay.

"It's very hot during the day and freezing at night. And we have to fight mosquito bites," housewife Maemunah said.

Besides the improper shelter, the residents also complained about the ongoing scarcity of clean water, food, public toilets, school uniforms and books for their children.

They said things provided by several parties were still not enough for them. Worse yet, victims had to go through complicated procedures before receiving any donations from city officers, residents said.

"It's even difficult to ask for a bottle of clean water. We have to argue first," said a mother of three. "The officers said that I have to go to the neighborhood community post, but I don't even know where that is. My children need water," she said, almost in tears.

Another fire victim, a 70-year-old woman named Sari, said that she had to go back and forth just to get a bowl of rice.

"I'm old and tired. I feel I can't survive this," she said.

Councilor Saud Rachman of Commission D for development affairs felt empathetic toward the residents' problems and urged the municipality to immediately build shelters and provide decent facilities for the residents.

"Don't evict them. That's inhuman. If the city wants to rejuvenate the area, at least they can show some goodwill by building temporary homes for them," Saud told the Post over the weekend.

If the government intended to build low-cast apartments at the site, they should also think about the victims, he said.

"It takes at least a couple of years to build an apartment. Should the fire victims live on the street?" Saud quipped. (07)