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)