The surprising Habitat Award

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.