Jakarta – Despite strong opposition from residents, the destruction of illegal dwellings in Taman Burung Village, Pluit, North Jakarta, went on as planned yesterday.

In an operation run by 1,000 Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) personnel and 100 police and soldiers, three backhoes demolished around 200 residences built on the south side of Pluit Reservoir.

The operation was delayed by around 40 families who refused to leave their homes and move to the Pinus Elok low-cost apartments in East Jakarta, which had been arranged for them by the city administration.

"We do not want to be relocated and we are resisting the demolition," kompas.com quoted a resident as shouting. Satpol PP head Kukuh Hadi Santoso said his side had no alternative but to clear the illegal dwellings, a plan that the residents had been made aware of months ago.

He added that 30 trucks had been mobilized to help transport squatters and their belongings to the low-cost apartments.

A group of residents opposing the resettlement said they would not leave the area until the city administration paid them fair compensation.

"We will stay here and not disperse. We have to defy the relocation," the group's leader told other residents.

Housewives and children, who looked powerless in the face of the security forces, expressed their disappointment with the city administration, saying they had nowhere as their homes had been leveled.

Rosa, 10, was taking care of her 6-month-old younger sister, Aliya, because their parents were busy moving their belongings out of their house.

"We were not informed previously and now this is happening," she said while trying to calm down the crying Aliya.

Zinan, a newborn, was also crying in the hands of her 29-year-old mother Lina, who said that though her family had registered for a low-cost Pinus Elok apartment unit with the city administration, they had yet to receive details about their new living situation.

Lina's husband, Agus Susanti, 33, who arrived home earlier than the usual, said he had come home earlier than usual from work because he was worried about his wife and their baby during the demolition.

He said several of their belongings, including a TV set, could not be salvaged.

Lina and Agus also said they would have no place to spend the night until someone followed up with them about their new apartment.

"Everything has been late and we were only informed of the demolition yesterday [Wednesday]," she said.

A previous dialogue between the police, Pluit subdistrict head and Penjaringan district head with the residents seeking the plan's postponement had failed to postpone the operation.

Penjaringan Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Suyudi said that in several previous dialogues the residents had refused to accept the city administration's program to revitalize Pluit Reservoir, and that this time was no different.

"We have given residents a long time to register for resettlement and move their belongings," he said.

Penjaringan district head Rusdiyanto said his side informed residents months ago about the planned demolition and relocation.

Previously, hundreds of families squatting on the north and east banks of the 20-hectare reservoir had been evicted and hundreds of illegal dwellings had been torn down to carry out the Pluit dredging project. Governor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has reiterated that the city administration would attempt to dredge all rivers and reservoirs in the capital to help prevent annual flooding. (koi)