Road repair evicts residents

Road repair evicts residents

TANGERANG, West Java (JP): The local authorities have evicted
squatters along the road by the Cidurian waterway in Pasar Kemis,
Tangerang.

The local officials said they had no choice but to pull down
the squatters' houses along the almost two-kilometer road so that
it could be repaired.

The squatters' have protested their evictions, saying that
demolition was carried out in the interests of PT Jaya Land, the
company contracted to repair the road. "The demolition has
nothing to do with the irrigation project," one of the squatters
said.

The road along the waterway was built by the Ministry of
Public Works' office to give its officials access to the local
irrigation system.

Anah, 26, who was evicted, told The Jakarta Post that she had
been offered unfair compensation: Rp 2.5 million (US$ 1,075.73)
for a house which she said had cost Rp 6.5 million ($ 2,796.90)
to build. She said that she and her family would not leave their
house or land until they got fair compensation.

The Tangerang Regency spokesperson, Ena Karlina, told the Post
separately yesterday that PT Jaya Land had a permit from the
provincial Public Works office to repair the road long the
irrigation waterway

"On Feb. 6, 1996, the residents along the inspection road were
invited to a meeting at the Pasar Kemis irrigation agency
office," she said. At the meeting, they were told they would have
to leave the area. (21/26)