N. Jakarta's fire victims fear eviction plan

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)