Squatters reject compensation offered, demand more money

Squatters reject compensation offered, demand more money

Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Squatters facing eviction from their homes on Jl. Tanah Merah,
North Jakarta, and Pinang Ranti, East Jakarta, have turned down
compensation money offered by land owners, demanding a higher
figure.

"We realize that we don't own the land and we don't mind
leaving it, as long as the compensation money is adequate. Just
don't give us meager compensation, as the city administration has
done," said Rico Siahaan, one of those living on Jl. Tanah Merah,
near Plumpang fuel depot, on land owned by state oil company PT
Pertamina.

Compensation paid by land owners or the administration has
usually ranged between Rp 250,000 (US$29.4) and Rp 500,000.

Rico and his wife, Tio, said they did not want the
administration or Pertamina to relocate them to a low-cost rental
apartment.

"Just give us enough compensation and we will leave, perhaps
to our hometowns or to the outskirts (of the city)," said Rico
during a meeting with related institutions at the National
Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM) office in Central
Jakarta.

Pertamina has offered to allocate 13 hectares of land in the
area for around 2,400 families who are facing eviction. It has
been proposed that low-cost housing be financed by the Ministry
of Resettlement and Regional Infrastructure through its 2004 One
Million Houses program.

"Pertamina still needs to get approval from the board of
commissioners," said Solahuddin Wahid, deputy chairman of Komnas
HAM, who mediated the meeting. "I'm very happy with the offer.
It's the best for all."

"The ministry has also promised to find a way to finance the
construction (of houses)."

Pertamina plans to clear land near its fuel depot to secure
fuel supply in the capital. The company will build a canal
marking the boundary between the fuel depot and the residential
area.

An ojek driver in Tanah Merah, however, said that some
squatters were even erecting houses on Pertamina's land to reap
the generous compensation money that it was rumored Pertamina
would hand out after the evictions.

"Rumors say that Pertamina has offered Rp 1 million per
square-meter for compensation," he said. "(But) imagine if this
is not true the (squatters) could die of heart attacks as they
borrowed money to build their houses".

Another hearing at Komnas HAM was attended by representatives
of squatters living in Pinang Ranti, on land owned by the Jakarta
Military District Command (Kodam Jaya).

Kodam Jaya has ordered people living on the 3.6 hectare area
of land to leave, offering each family Rp 3 million.

Solahuddin said that 29 of the 77 families had agreed to the
offer, but others demanded double-the-figure.

As no agreement was reached at the meeting, Komnas HAM has
arranged another meeting for next week.