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. (32)