Squatters complain about demolition plan

Squatters complain about demolition plan

JAKARTA (JP): Around 200 people registered a complaint with
the House of Representatives yesterday about the city
administration's plan to demolish their shanties along the Opak
river bank in North Jakarta.

A 40-member delegation, claiming to represent 2,000 squatters,
were received by Indonesian Democratic Party faction member
Soetardjo Soeryoguritno.

The people told Soetardjo that they were not ready to leave
the area because they had only received the order to leave on
Thursday.

"The letter only gave us three days to move," Wahyudin, the
squatters' spokesman, claimed. He said the city council had
threatened to demolish their houses by force after the deadline
expires.

Wahyudin said the authorities had not even consulted them
before the threat. "All we received was a letter stating that we
had violated a regulation," he said.

The sudden instruction, he said, put pressure on the squatters
because they did not know where to go. "We have no money to
move," he said.

Another delegate, Mamat, said that the squatters understand
they don't deserve compensation because it is not their land.

Mamat added that the authorities should have consulted them
about the policy because they have lived in the area for up to 20
years and have been provided with identity cards by the district
office.

He said hundreds of squatters who lived along the nearby
Ciliwung river banks received compensation from the city before
being forced from the area.

Legislator Soetardjo told the delegates, who are mostly low
paid workers and small traders, that the House will request the
local city administration and the National Land Affairs Agency
postpone the demolition until they consult with the squatters.

An official of the North Jakarta city administration contacted
by The Jakarta Post yesterday said that his office had sent the
people several warnings to leave.

"The last letter we sent to them was early this month," the
official, who preferred to remain anonymous, said.

The letter, he said, contained evidence of the squatters
violating city regulations on the environment.

The city administration then asked them to leave the area or
have their homes destroyed.

The city administration announced earlier that it will
gradually demolish all shanties along river banks as part of its
river cleaning program.(03)