Residents ask for compensation
Residents ask for compensation
JAKARTA (JP): About forty residents of Cipinang Besar Selatan
in Jatinegara district, East Jakarta, went to the City Council
yesterday to request help in obtaining reasonable compensation
for their land.
The residents represented 85 families who are facing eviction
because the 7,333-square-meter plot of land on which they live
will be cleared to make way for the construction of a hospital.
The residents said that they bought the land from Mastur, who
claimed to be the rightful representative of the landowner, but
without the exchange of any documents.
On Aug. 22, Jatinegara District Chief Agus Salim Utut ordered
the residents to move away voluntarily within seven days on the
grounds that the land had been sold to the Harapan Kita
Foundation, which will establish the hospital.
Agus said in his order that security and public officers will
demolish their houses forcefully if the residents fail to abide
by the order.
Last week the residents met with the council's Commission A,
in charge of administration, security and public order. They
asked the council to urge the Jatinegara district chief to
suspend the demolition until an agreement on reasonable
compensation was reached.
"Even though we bought the land without any documents, can the
owner of the land order us to move away without any
compensation?" Bambang Widjanarko, one of the residents, asked.
Abdoelhamid Notowidagdo, secretary of the commission, said
yesterday that the residents had fallen victim to an unscrupulous
person.
He said that the rightful owner of the land, PT Central Bumi
Indah, never knew of the transactions between Mastur and the
residents.
Tatang Solichin, another member of the commission, told the
residents to take their case to the police since this incident
could be categorized as a criminal act.
However, the commission members promised that they will
contact all related parties, including PT Central Bumi Indah and
Harapan Kita Foundation to discuss the residents' complaints.
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