Order agency shifts target, demolishes 200 shanties

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Around 500 officials from the City Public Order Agency began demolishing at least 200 shanties along the West Flood Canal in Pejagalan subdistrict, North Jakarta on Wednesday.

They changed the target after failing to demolish the remaining 400 permanent buildings at the Kalijodo brothel and gambling den complex, located 500 meters north of the shanties, a day earlier.

Squatters, who has been living there, were unaware of the officials' sudden arrival.

One of the officials, Agus, said the eviction -- the fifth carried out by the agency since 2001 -- had to go on even though its target had changed.

"The officials have gathered here. If we don't demolish Kalijodo then we have to do something else -- demolishing the shanties," he said, adding that the shanties established on state land did not obstruct the flow of the nearby canal some seven meters away.

Based on observations by The Jakarta Post, the area adjacent to Kalijodo -- home to one of three notorious gangsters -- is one that has obstructed the canal the most.

However, the agency has yet to take any action to demolish buildings there, saying it will be carried out as one operation with the Kalijodo demolition.

"We'll demolish all illegal shanties along the canal. Kalijodo is not our top priority. Nevertheless, it will be demolished soon," said Pejagalan subdistrict chief, W. Budiyono.

The squatters could only curse out loud while the officials ransacked their houses. Eko, whose shanty dwelling has been cleared five times, condemned the demolition and said he had lost all hope of trying to keep his place intact or get compensation.

"I and 600 other residents will picket the Komnas HAM (National Commission for Human Rights) office tomorrow. We won't move until Komnas HAM manages to find a solution to our problem," he said angrily.