Jakarta – Residents from a flood-prone area in Jakarta clashed with city officials during a forced eviction on Thursday, prompting security forces to fire tear gas and water cannons.
More than 2,200 officers from the National Police and Indonesian Military (TNI) were deployed to evict the remaining residents of Kampung Pulo, East Jakarta, who had refused to leave despite receiving orders from the city administration to vacate the premises two months ago.
The land under dispute is owned by the state and personal use of the area is strictly prohibited.
The clash broke out after residents protesting through chants and by singing the national anthem spotted excavators moving toward their homes. The sight prompted them to throw stones and launch molotov cocktails at officers, setting one backhoe on fire.
A local resident named Hobi, 24, lost consciousness after being hit in the face by a security personnel for trying to halt the eviction process, while an elderly man reportedly suffered a blow to the head from a rock. Both were immediately evacuated by an ambulance.
When officers began firing tear gas and pointing water cannons at the angry crowd, protestors reluctantly pulled back to seek safety. The eviction process, which started around 7 a.m., also caused heavy traffic jams in the neighboring areas of Otista Raya and Jatinegara.
East Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Umar Faroq said he regretted the incident but defended the actions of security officers who he claimed were defending themselves against residents. He added that he had instructed officers to stay in the area to prevent any subsequent rioting.
Separately, Brig. Gen. Nandang Jumantara, deputy chief of the Jakarta Police, announced five suspects have been arrested for allegedly inciting the skirmish.
Eviction SOP
Azas Tigor Nainggolan, chairman of Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta), argued that officials should have provided Kampung Pulo residents with a clear explanation of the city's standard operational procedure on evictions before demolishing houses.
"We are not against evictions as long as there's a clear SOP," said Azas, who was present at Thursday's eviction process.
He added that the city must also present residents with a letter from the State Land Agency (BPN) to prove the land on which they live is "owned by the city or by the state."
'Eviction is the only way'
Commenting on the violent clash between Kampung Pulo residents and city officials, Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama said forced eviction was "the only way" to clear the state-owned land from squatters.
"If we can't solve this, Jakarta will continue to be a mess. We've notified [the residents]. Why should we wait any longer?" he says.
East Jakarta Mayor Bambang Musyawardhana insisted the eviction process would proceed despite the unexpected clash.
"We gave them a two-month notice to move out and they still wouldn't move. If they persist, we don't have any other options but to force them out," said Bambang, adding that officers have been ordered to put up sheet piles to prevent people from entering the disputed area.
Basuki agreed that the eviction process could not be delayed for a Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) ruling, arguing that the land was clearly owned by the state.
With the help of non-profit organization Ciliwung Merdeka, Kampung Pulo residents filed a lawsuit against the East Jakarta Public Order Agency on Thursday, demanding the revocation of a third eviction warrant dated Aug. 6, ordering them to clear the area.
The first court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 25, even though legal proceedings on the residents' lawsuit against the Satpol PP's second eviction warrant, which was issued on June 11, is still ongoing. "How are you going to sue us?" Basuki demanded. "You are illegally living on state land."
No compensation
Among the demands of Kampung Pulo residents who refused to leave the area is for the government to financially compensate them for the money they have spent on building their houses – an ultimatum Basuki was quick to shoot down, calling it baseless.
Despite the fact that some residents hold legal housing and land certificates, the governor also insisted that residents relocate to a low-cost apartment complex, known as rusun, provided by the city.
One such rusun is located in Jatinegara, near Kampung Pulo, and remains empty, according to Jakarta Deputy Governor Djarot Hidayat.
"Relocating Kampung Pulo residents is one of City Hall' priorities. We provide each [family] with a unit in Jatinegara," Djarot said on Thursday. "Kampung Pulo is not livable and the land is owned by the state. We have set up a better housing situation for them."
Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/eviction-jakartas-kampung-pulo-slum-turns-violent/