Regent and residents to talk on demolition

TANGERANG (JP): The regency has agreed to conduct talks with local residents on the planned demolition of 697 homes in the fishing village of Muara Dadap in the Kosambi district, a legislator said.

After a meeting of regency officials, legislators of the Golkar faction and community members, speaker Budi Haryanto said the regency has agreed to "fair and honest consultations" to settle the dispute.

For the past week fishermen have guarded their village against demolition teams. Antara quoted a local informal leader as saying that none of them have dared go to sea.

The regency claims they are occupying land belonging to the state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II.

The elderly leader, Umar Said, said the 5,000 residents, or 880 families, will give up their land for the public interest as long as they are given true information of what the land will be used for.

Umar said representatives of the families have sought information from officials of the Ministry of Transportation, PT Angkasa Pura and the Organizing Committee of the 1996 International Air Show scheduled for later this month, as they heard these parties had interests in the plot.

However the parties denied this.

"We will even give up our lives for the government, as long as we are not swindled," Umar said to loud applause from residents.

The government is offering them compensation of Rp 150,000 to Rp 250,000 per house, depending on the permanency of the construction.

Umar said residents were earlier taken by surprise when they received a demolition order which said the final deadline was May 17.

Residents have been offered a move to low-cost homes in Muara Angke, North Jakarta, but Umar said they cannot even afford the down payments.

He said that since 1975 the families from Muara Karang, North Jakarta, acquired permission from the village head to occupy the land after compensating local farmers Rp 1,000 per square meter. This, he said, was in line with the suggestion of the subdistrict head.

Deputy regent Nuhriana Husnadi told residents the regency has no intention of making them suffer.

"We want you to live in peace now and in the future," he said.

A legislator urged them to continue earning their living.

"Please do not feel restless and go to sea," said Sunyoto, who is also on the central board of the Indonesian Association of Fishermen. (anr)