Retirees defy order to leave

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Around 200 retired policemen and their families resisted a move to expel them from a housing complex on Jl. Toddopuli on Friday.

During their protest, the complex residents, including housewives and children, set tires alight along the main entrance road to the complex and closed their front doors.

Police personnel deployed to evict the residents, however, defied the opposition and stormed into the houses even managing to carry several pieces of furniture out of the buildings.

The order to expel the complex residents came from South Sulawesi Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Sudibyo on Thursday after a previous instruction, that the retirees and their families leave the houses, was ignored.

A policeman said, "We are just following orders, so what can we do? They are our seniors but we have to obey (the order)."

One of the retired policemen, Mukaddis, said he and other residents would stay until they found new houses and they also planned to demand compensation for the money they had spent on renovating the houses.

"We will stay until we receive clear answers on our future homes and demand for compensation," he said.

As of Friday afternoon, the situation in the housing complex remained tense. (27)