Residents to sue mayor over land compensation

Residents to sue mayor over land compensation

JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of South Jakarta residents are demanding that the mayor give them more compensation money for their land which was appropriated for a road project.

"The residents hope to begin legal proceedings by next week," Mugiyono, a clerk at the Jakarta State Administrative Court who received the residents yesterday, told The Jakarta Post.

However, Mugiyono said the residents first need to find a legal representative before their suit against the mayor can be processed.

Last week, 290 of the 300 families evicted from the Pesanggrahan subdistrict refused the city's compensation for their land, which is to be used for an outer ring road around the southern part of Jakarta.

The residents, who possessed land certificates, asked for Rp 500,000 per square meter but were offered Rp 275,000 by the city.

The residents claim the mayor has violated Presidential Decree No. 55/1993, which requires parties involved in a land clearing to hold a meeting to reach an agreement.

Residents told Mugiyono that nothing was ever discussed and that no compensation has been paid out. (14)