The more things change the more they remain the same…
“Land clearances were conducted like military operations. One of the worst occurred in November 1975 at Bendungan Hilir, an area which was intended to become a green belt zone. Security forces arrived at 10:00 p.m. and began demolishing houses. The inhabitants were caught by surprise. Although they had been warned to move, negotiations were still in progress over removal payments, and no date had been fixed for their departure. They watched as 250 houses were razed to the ground”.
-S. Abeyasekere in Jakarta: A History
The list of evictions is long: Kampung Rawasari Selatan, Taman Mini Indonesia, Pondok Indah to name a few. In 2006, the Human Rights Watch issued this report regarding evictions of the urban poor in Jakarta …> go to site
Today The Jakarta Post reports…
Jakarta plans to evict more squatters near railways, dam
Mustaqim Adamrah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The government and the Jakarta administration are planning to dismantle more than 15,000 shanties around railways and the Pluit dam in North Jakarta.
State-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api said Friday illegal properties around railways had disturbed its operations.
“We’ll be dismantling approximately 5,220 illegal properties around railways in December, in line with the reviving of circle-line train operations,” said the company’s public relations head for operation district I, Akhmad Sujadi.
