Squatters problem keep KAI busy

JAKARTA (JP): The state railway company PT KAI continuously faces the headache of dealing with squatters who illegally occupy its land along the railway tracks and are reluctant to be removed, an official said on Wednesday.

Speaking in a meeting with some of the squatters, city officials and councillors, PT KAI head of land and property section Kusnadi said about seven million square meters of its land, or one-third of the company's 20 million square meters of land in Greater Jakarta is currently "owned" by people, who build their houses on KAI property without any legal documents or permission.

The removal of the squatters at Karang Anyar subdistrict in Sawah Besar district, Central Jakarta, which led to a protest by the squatters at the City Council since Tuesday is just one example out of many repeatedly faced by the company, he said.

Kusnadi said that KAI had no choice but to stand by its decision to prohibit anyone from building houses on its land.

"These people keep returning to rebuild their homes," Kusnadi said.

Wednesday was the third day of the protest by some 300 residents from Karang Anyar, who took turns staying the night in the City Council's parking lot.

The residents said authorities acted on Monday without adequate warning, violently removing their belongings and clearing shacks located under the railway tracks from Mangga Besar and Sawah Besar train stations in Central Jakarta.

A resident, Udin, said they admitted they were illegal squatters, "but why are we the only ones to be evacuated when there are so many others living along the train tracks?" He wondered if other residents had bribed officials. (07)