Retired police protest eviction

SURABAYA: Around 400 retired police officers and their families living at the Medaeng Mobile Brigade police dormitory in Waru, Sidoarjo district, lodged a complaint with city councillors on Thursday over what they consider to be their forced eviction by local police authorities.

Group coordinator Budi Kumandung said police had intimidated and forced 400 families in the housing complex to leave without giving financial compensation or providing alternative housing.

"We refuse to move out because they just provided some trucks to load our belongings onto without considering where we have to head to," Budi said.

East Java Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comm. Sad Harunantyo, meanwhile, said that his team would go ahead with its plan to clear the dormitory to make way for junior personnel.

"Actually, most of the current residents own other houses but they rent them out to other people. We will not give them any compensation because there is no budget for it," he said. --JP