"Our Placenta Was Buried Here": Why Kemayoran Fire Victims Refuse to Move to Flats
The Deputy Governor of Jakarta, Rano Karno, admitted that it is not easy to persuade the residents of Kebon Kosong, Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, to move into low-cost flats (rusun). Although the area is a densely populated settlement that frequently faces various issues such as fires, many residents still wish to remain in the area as they have lived there since birth.
“I spoke with several residents earlier, asking, ‘Don’t you want to try living in a flat?’. They replied, ‘Oh Brother, we were born here, even our placentas were buried here,’ said Rano while inspecting the fire site in RT 002/RW 04, Kebon Kosong, on Tuesday (2/6/2026).
One of the underlying causes is the legal status of the land occupied by the residents, which sits atop land owned by the State Secretariat (Setneg) and is subject to overlapping asset disputes. Consequently, Rano admitted he had offered to have residents consider living in flats. However, this proposal was not easily accepted because many residents possess a strong emotional bond with their residential environment.
According to Rano, several residents expressed reluctance to move because they were born and raised in the area. “I said, ‘Hey, I was born in Kemayoran, in Kepu, my placenta was also buried in Kemayoran, so do we really want to live crowded together here?’” he remarked.
Rano believes that flats could be a better housing option for residents compared to living in extremely dense settlements. “We are always trying to make the community realise that it is not that flats are unsuitable, but perhaps living in a flat would be much more decent,” Rano noted.
Previously, a fire in the Kebon Kosong area on Monday (1/6/2026) night affected 304 buildings. A total of 354 heads of households, comprising 679 individuals, were recorded as being impacted by the incident. The Jakarta Provincial Government has prepared evacuation posts, health services, public kitchens, and logistical assistance for the victims.