Officers clash with residents over eviction
Officers clash with residents over eviction
JAKARTA (JP): City public order officials clashed with
residents of Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kuningan, South Jakarta on
Saturday when they attempted to evict the occupants of six houses
belonging to the city administration.
The incident began when five truckloads of city officials
arrived at a housing complex belonging to the city
administration's training center at 9 a.m.
As they realized the officials' intention, hundreds of
residents attacked and threw stones at the officials. The attack
forced the officials to retreat. Residents also damaged three
trucks belonging to the city administration.
The six houses are currently occupied by retired city
employees. The city administration reportedly wants current city
administration officials to live in them.
An occupant of one of the six houses, Joni Syahrizal, 61, said
they were surprised to see the officials in the area.
"We did not know about the plan. There has been no information
provided to the residents.
"We attacked the officials because we weren't prepared to move
and we haven't packed our stuff yet. The officials simply said
that they would take all of our belongings to the city's
warehouse in Cakung, East Jakarta," he was quoted by Antara as
saying.
Joni, a former national water polo athlete in the 1960s, said
he had lived in the housing complex for 19 years.
"My supervisor at the city sport agency allowed me and five
other colleagues to occupy the houses when we retired," he said.
He said he understood that current city employees needed the
houses, but expected the city administration to provide them with
sufficient compensation to procure new houses.
"The city administration has only offered compensation of Rp 1
million (US$ 135) for each family. That's the only offer we've
had for the past two years," he said.
Joni also said the city administration had refused to help
them find new houses.
"We are now only asking for an additional one month to find
another place to live," he said.
One of the six houses the city wishes to see vacated is now
used as the secretariat of a nongovernmental organization, Food
for the Poor (Param). Activists from the organization were
reportedly involved in the clash, attacking and hurling stones at
the city officials.
Residents have started to guard the housing complex in
anticipation of another attempt by city officials to evict them.
Some other residents, however, were seen starting to pack up
their belongings. (05)
JAKARTA (JP): City public order officials clashed with
residents of Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kuningan, South Jakarta on
Saturday when they attempted to evict the occupants of six houses
belonging to the city administration.
The incident began when five truckloads of city officials
arrived at a housing complex belonging to the city
administration's training center at 9 a.m.
As they realized the officials' intention, hundreds of
residents attacked and threw stones at the officials. The attack
forced the officials to retreat. Residents also damaged three
trucks belonging to the city administration.
The six houses are currently occupied by retired city
employees. The city administration reportedly wants current city
administration officials to live in them.
An occupant of one of the six houses, Joni Syahrizal, 61, said
they were surprised to see the officials in the area.
"We did not know about the plan. There has been no information
provided to the residents.
"We attacked the officials because we weren't prepared to move
and we haven't packed our stuff yet. The officials simply said
that they would take all of our belongings to the city's
warehouse in Cakung, East Jakarta," he was quoted by Antara as
saying.
Joni, a former national water polo athlete in the 1960s, said
he had lived in the housing complex for 19 years.
"My supervisor at the city sport agency allowed me and five
other colleagues to occupy the houses when we retired," he said.
He said he understood that current city employees needed the
houses, but expected the city administration to provide them with
sufficient compensation to procure new houses.
"The city administration has only offered compensation of Rp 1
million (US$ 135) for each family. That's the only offer we've
had for the past two years," he said.
Joni also said the city administration had refused to help
them find new houses.
"We are now only asking for an additional one month to find
another place to live," he said.
One of the six houses the city wishes to see vacated is now
used as the secretariat of a nongovernmental organization, Food
for the Poor (Param). Activists from the organization were
reportedly involved in the clash, attacking and hurling stones at
the city officials.
Residents have started to guard the housing complex in
anticipation of another attempt by city officials to evict them.
Some other residents, however, were seen starting to pack up
their belongings. (05)