Over 47,500 Jakartans to become homeless this year

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Amid criticism from various parties, the Jakarta administration still plans to go ahead with its eviction program which is expected to affect at least 8,500 families or around 47,500 people this year, according to the Urban Poor Consortium (UPC).

UPC executive Edi Saidi said on Wednesday that the figure was a result of monitoring by his organization of a number of state- owned and disputed plots of lands that at present are being occupied by squatters.

"Eviction of people living under the harbor toll road in Penjaringan, North Jakarta, will take place in April, while other areas will be vacated later," Edi told The Jakarta Post, adding that the squatters had received eviction notices.

UPC records show that the city administration carried out evictions in 21 areas last year, affecting 8,715 people, mostly poor families.

Edi and a number of UPC executives accompanied some 300 victims of evictions and those whose houses would be razed this year in a protest at the Ministry for Settlement and Regional Infrastructure in South Jakarta on Wednesday.

The people demanded that the ministry prevent Governor Sutiyoso from continuing the evictions until alternative housing has been provided for them.

The ministry's Director General for Housing and Settlement Affairs, Sjarifuddin Akil, who met with the people, could not give any guarantee "because such a policy was under the autonomous authority of the city administration".

Edi said the evictees were unable to meet with Sutiyoso who has repeatedly said that he would not allow people to stay in the city who do not hold Jakarta identity cards.

Meanwhile, Akil revealed that the government had a program to build one million houses this year across the country. He said the ministry earmarked Rp 1.2 trillion (US$141.18 million) of its Rp 11 trillion budget for the housing program.

Akil, however, could not specify what portion of the fund would be allocated for the housing program in Jakarta, but said that the ministry had also planned to improve housing in five slums. He did not mention the areas.

"But the ministry would discuss the project further with officials from the city administration," he added.

I-box

Areas scheduled for evictions in 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------- No. Places Number of affected families --------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Koja, Muara Baru 1,500

North Jakarta 2. Kebon Tebu, Muara Baru 1,500

North Jakarta 3. Tanah Merah, Plumpang 1,000

North Jakarta 4. Cakung 500

East Jakarta 5. Cipinang Besar Selatan 500

East Jakarta 6. Under Penjaringan toll road 2,000

North Jakarta 7. Bambu Larangan 1,500

West Jakarta ----------------------------------------------------------------

Total 8,500

Source: Urban Poor Consortium (UPC)