Jakarta – Some 300 people blockaded the Pondok Pinang-Serpong turnpike Wednesday to demand compensation from toll road operator PT Jasa Marga. The blockade caused extensive traffic congestion on the expressway for more than three hours.
South Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Chairul Anwar told The Jakarta Post more than 300 police officers were deployed to handle the protest, which was held on a section of the toll road in Ulujami, Tangerang.
One of the protesters, Naing Isa, said the blockade commenced at around 10 a.m., with the crowd disbursing three hours later when Jasa Marga operational director Sarwono Oetomo invited them to discuss their demands Thursday at the South Jakarta municipality office. "For now we have calmed down. But we will wait and see what happens tomorrow," said Naing.
Naing's father Isa Baman was the owner of an extensive piece of disputed land in the area worth up to Rp 3 billion.
Naing said the protesters were looking forward to the meeting, in which they would discuss the issue of compensation with South Jakarta Mayor Syahrul Effendi. The compensation rights of heirs to the land would also be discussed, he said.
The dispute started when state-owned company Jasa Marga purchased land in the Ulujami subdistrict in South Jakarta for the road project in 2000. However, the evicted residents are yet to receive compensation from the company.
Nurdin Manurung, the director of the toll road division at the Public Works Ministry, said Jasa Marga was obliged to pay compensation to the heirs of land owners in the area, as stated in a city police dossier. "It is clearly stated in the dossier that the company must pay the heirs," he told the Post.
Jakarta Police Chief Insp. Gen. Adang Firman said his team had tried their best to facilitate efforts to solve the land dispute. "I have nothing else to say. If there is no solution, we will just have to wait," he told reporters. He said police would remain alert to the threat of further tensions erupting.
In recent months, several protests have been held in which protesters blocked part of the road with bamboo poles and makeshift tents.
At a day-long protest held in September, protesters sat on the road and chanted prayers while reading the Koran. Eventually police ordered the protesters to disperse, bringing in a water cannon to break up the protest.
The protest ended at about 8 p.m. after executives from Jasa Marga and Public Works Ministry officials agreed to enter negotiations. (dia)