RI inconsistent on settlement rights: NGO
RI inconsistent on settlement rights: NGO
JAKARTA (JP): A group representing evicted residents, street
workers and bemo owners said that the government should act
according to the statement it presented to the world conference
on human settlements in Istanbul, Turkey.
The group called the Jabotabek (Greater Jakarta) Urban
People's Communication Forum stated yesterday that the government
did not act in accordance with its international statements.
The forum stated that the growth and expansion of cities,
particularly Jakarta, only serves business interests.
"The government's position paper (in Istanbul) says it
recognizes settlement rights and all related rights," forum
member Waskito Adriwibowo said.
"We demand that the position be translated into policies and
daily practices," said Waskito, who is also a lawyer at the
Jakarta Legal Aid Institute.
The institute, 13 other non-government organizations and other
groups made up the forum. The two-day forum, which ended
yesterday, released a statement on the government's country paper
which was presented to the on-going United Nations Conference on
Human Settlements (Habitat II).
The 30 person forum, which discussed urban poverty, also
included bemo owners, residents of Jelambar, a women's group from
Pisangan and representatives of street children and buskers.
The Jakarta city government plans to phase out city bemo next
year. The residents' and women's groups said their members will
be evicted, but don't know when.
The forum's statement said the people's right to shelter and
right to engage in small business were being violated. It also
mentioned problems on transportation policy and women's roles.
City growth confirms the governor's statement that Jakarta is
a "service city" with no room for the poor, the forum said.
"Evictions, elimination of traditional transport, arrests and
abuse reflect elitist city planning," the statement said.
The forum demanded that city policy be changed to account for
the people's right to shelter, right to wages, right to be
involved in city planning and right to be free from persecution.
Waskito said current city policies treat the poor as
criminals, such as the 1988 rule which limits the people's right
to sell in public places.
Bemo
An elderly man representing some 200 bemo owners in central
Jakarta said his colleagues felt unprotected by the Association
of Public Land Transport Owners, Organda.
The owners refused to register their vehicles at the city land
transport agency by the required June 5 deadline, he said.
They did not want to give away their vehicles without
compensation and replace them with expensive minibuses.
"We were shocked because the meeting with Organda was about
vehicle registration and we would get no compensation because the
government has no money," the man said.
After the meeting the owners received leaflets from Suzuki
minibus dealers. The leaflets stated that a down payment of over
Rp 4.9 million (US$2,078.03) was needed to purchase a minibus.
Installments were almost Rp 2 million.
"We ask that the municipality pressure the dealers to
subsidize the cars. Our bemo are treated as if they are
worthless, while they are still Rp 5 million on the market," he
said.
The latest city master plan does not recognize three-wheeled
public transport, but this runs counter to the 1992 Traffic Law
which recognizes the vehicles, he said. (anr)