Newly built house becomes nightmare

In what should have been a sweet dream after relative success in Jakarta ended up as a nightmare.

Toto Supriyanto, 35, and his youngest brother, Parno, 25, came to Jakarta two years ago, soon after he married Tri Lasasih, 34.

Parno said that they came here to buy used cars with a competitive price and supply them to a showroom in Yogyakarta.

As the business ran well, Toto decided to buy a 105-square- meter piece of land in Kampung Baru for around Rp 12 million (US$1,411) last year. They bought the land from a friend and noticed that it had already changed owners 10 times.

Three and a half months ago, the brothers finished building a house there.

"My brother spent at least Rp 70 million to build a permanent house there," said Parno.

He said that they did know that the land was somehow illegal.

"But how else could we buy land in Jakarta, we are only little people," he said.

He said, nevertheless, the city administration did not have to use violence in evicting the people.

Now his brother has died. Parno and his parents regularly pray that Toto's wife and son can have a bright future, and that the officials from Perum Perumnas, the city administration and West Jakarta mayoralty will receive divine judgment. --JP