`Yellow jacket' students give food to Benhil homeless

`Yellow jacket' students give food to Benhil homeless

JAKARTA (JP): Eighteen students of the prestigious University
of Indonesia yesterday visited a disputed plot of land in
Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta, to donate foodstuffs including
rice, sugar, coffee, milk and instant noodles to homeless
squatters there.

Eva Mazrieva, the chairman of the student body of the Socio-
political Science School, said at the scene that the students had
saved their small allowances for the squatters because they were
deeply touched after reading media reports about their plight.

"We call on the public to lend a helping hand. The squatters
are in dire need of food, medical facilities and tents," Eva
said.

Dozens of squatters talked with the visiting students, telling
them about a fire which razed the area in September and about
when hundreds of security officers forcibly appropriated the area
in the following weeks.

Sutaryo, a squatter living in the area, thanked the students,
saying that they will continue to resist the forced land eviction
and will seek every avenue to obtain appropriate compensation.

Discuss

Prior to the visit, the students also tried to discuss the
problem with the powerful Armed Forces faction of the House of
Representatives (DPR).

Public relations officials of the House, however, asked the
students to set a date rather than abruptly come to the House
demanding a meeting.

Anti-riot officers used tear gas and rattan sticks to expel
the squatters from the state-owned 1.5-hectare housing area razed
by a fire on Sept. 9.

The squatters, however, offered resistance by pelting stones,
at the officers, making human barricades and burning down a
bulldozer.

They demanded that the government pay a fair compensation rate
of Rp 1 million per square meter (US$476) rather than the offered
Rp 235,000 per square meter.

Government officials refused the proposal, saying they will
build low-cost apartments on the site for the squatters to live
in a better environment.

Eva said the students cannot tolerate such high-handed action
taken by the city administration, adding that it is high time for
the government to review its development policy which she claimed
emphasized growth rather than distribution of wealth.

She said students of the University of Indonesia will work
hand-in-hand to gather support for the homeless squatters.

Eva, who lives a few kilometers away from the disputed area,
suggested the administration continue negotiating with the
squatters.

Leaders of the squatters said on Tuesday that all of their
detained neighbors had been released from a police detention
center, adding that they are now preparing a law suit against the
government. (09)