The surprising Habitat Award

Many Jakartans raised their eyebrows upon hearing that Jakarta, notorious for its forced evictions, has been awarded the United Nations-Habitat Scroll of Honour this year.

The award was presented to the Jakarta administration at an event marking World Habitat Day, which falls on the first Monday of October annually.

According to UN-Habitat executive director Anna Tibaijuka, other awardees included Sweden for a solar housing renovation project and China for a straw-bale energy efficient housing transfer project. Meanwhile, individual Indonesians who won awards were Surabaya's Johan Silas for his meritorious initiative in constructing affordable homes for tsunami survivors in Aceh and villagers in East Java, and the late North Sumatra governor, Tengku Rizal Nurdin, who helped provide facilities for tsunami and earthquake survivors on the island of Nias.

Jakarta was lauded for improving the environment, security, and public services during Governor Sutiyoso's tenure.

UN-Habitat's decision has undoubtedly surprised many Jakartans, who are convinced that the Jakarta administration has failed to do its best for the people, especially those in the lower income brackets.

It is therefore understandable that activists from various non-governmental organizations have condemned the UN-Habitat award, and demanded that it be taken back, arguing that the Jakarta administration has systematically sidelined the interests of the poor for the sake of commercial interests.

They say that up to 92,720 people have been forcibly evicted from their homes, 62,263 sidewalk vendors have been removed and 23,205 becak (three-wheeled pedicabs) have been banned from the city's streets over the past five years.

According to the NGOs, no notable environmental improvements have been made by the Jakarta administration.

They argue that the regreening campaign initiated by Governor Sutiyoso has failed dismally, with the chopping down of trees continuing apace and the disappearance of several city parks. They also point to the fact that air pollution in the city is growing worse.

Forceful demolitions of shanties and roadside kiosks are further examples of the administration's uncaring attitude, the activists say.

In the field of security, many would probably agree that the crime rate has yet to decrease. Street crime and thuggery remains rampant, despite police pledges to eradicate them, and crimes against taxi passengers persist.

The public services provided by Jakarta city agencies are also deplorable. A survey conducted by the Indonesian Institute for Civil Society (INCIS) in March this year revealed that the people of Jakarta suffer from severely deficient public services. According to INCIS, which collaborated with the European Union and Partnership for Governance Reform in Indonesia in conducting the survey, discriminatory treatment was the main problem facing those seeking to access public services.

The facts could lead one to believe that the Jakarta administration has totally failed to address the needs of its citizens. But has the Jakarta administration really done nothing of benefit for its citizens? If so, why has UN-Habitat given such a prestigious award to the Jakarta administration?

For UN-Habitat, what the Jakarta administration has done, including the construction of better defenses against flooding, the making of improvements to city parks and the construction of major public facilities, is deserving of recognition. The administration's efforts to make the capital city, home to more than 10 million people, more habitable represent a big deal in the eyes of UN-Habitat, which probably sees Jakarta from the outside.

UN-Habitat is not an amateur organization. It makes a thorough investigation and study before making any decision, including the award of the Habitat Scroll of Honour to Jakarta. And the organization has to account for what it does.

"This award is actually not only recognition for the governor of Jakarta, but of course also the city and the people of Jakarta," Anna Tibaijuka said.

Whatever the case, the award makes it clear that the Jakarta administration and the people must maintain what they have achieved to date and minimize any shortcomings, mistakes and failures.

The award should not lull the Jakarta city fathers into a misplaced sense of complacency. It should serve more as a strong reminder to both the administration and the city's citizens that a lot of work lies ahead. The administration has a long way to go before it can claim that it has provided the citizens of the capital with better lives and proper services.