Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding joint-appeal of the Center on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) and the Asian Coalition for Housing Rights (ACHR) regarding the mass-eviction of urban poor communities in Jakarta. Since August 2003, over 15,000 urban poor was driven out from their houses to the streets by the City Council Commission led by the local governments of Jakarta. The evicted people are in a miserable situation and they are afraid that the situation will be getting worse because of the upcoming rainy season. More seriously, the large-scale eviction is spreading to other cities in Indonesia.
Your urgent action is required to pressure the Indonesian government to stop the ongoing eviction of urban poor communities and ensure their rights to adequate housing. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the COHRE and the ACHR.
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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Urgent Eviction Appeal- 22 October 2003
ONGOING FORCED EVICTION AGAINST URBAN POOR IN JAKARTA
INFORMATION ON THE ONGOING EVICTIONS:
1. Forced evictions of urban poor in Jakarta
1) Jembatan Besi, West Jakarta
On 26 August 2003, around 2,000 households in Jembatan Besi, West Jakarta were brutally evicted from their homes by security officers, civilian militia and the West Jakarta police. Most of the inhabitants, who work in the informal sector as pedicab drivers or vendors, have lived in this area since 1994. The eviction was carried out for alleged owner of the land, PT Cakrawira Bumimandala.
2) Sunter Jaya, Tanjung Priok
On 2 September 2003, 189 houses in Sunter Jaya in Tanjung Priok of North Jakarta were demolished by the security officers of North Jakarta local government. The demolition affected 550 urban poor people, who had paid millions of Rupiah of their hard-earned money in 1998 to buy the land for their permanent housing. The eviction was performed in spite of an ongoing court case over the land ownership between businessman Anton Tjahya Wikarta and the residents. After the demolition, Anton Tjahya Wikarta offered compensation equivalent to US$60 to each resident, which is not enough to cover for those who lost their home and possessions.
3) Kampung Baru, East Cengkareng
On 17 September 2003, the local government of West Jakarta mobilized 2,000 security officers and civilian militia and demolished 700 houses in Kampung Baru, East Cengkareng. The police fired rubber bullets and injured a number of the residents. The 3,100 inhabitants have lived there since 1998 after the Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso invited them to farm the unutilized land and to provide jobs for the unemployed. The eviction was conducted to make the road for a mall and supermarket. Ironically, the land is owned by PERUMNAS, the state owned enterprise that is mandated to provide housing for low-income earners.
4) Kampung Sawah, Tanjung Duren
On 2 October 2003, 2,500 people of 520 houses in Kampung Sawah, Tanjung Duren, West Jakarta were forcibly evicted by the local government of West Jakarta. 4,500 security officers, police and civilian militia wearing black shirts and ribbons on their arms were involved in the demolition. The local government of West Jakarta plans to cleanse more settlements before the fasting month of Ramadan.
2. The large-scale eviction in the other cities
On 16 October 2003, around 200 police officers from the Makassar Police knocked down 20 houses in Karuwisi, Makassar, South Sulawesi and 100 villagers were made homeless. This eviction was carried out following the decree of the Supreme Court that denied the peoples’ appeal. The villagers have lived in Karuwisi since Japanese occupation. They have bought the land and have paid land/building taxes to the local government since then. However, since 1994, Muis Harmunis has claimed land ownership with an ownership certificate, although there is no documentary proof with the National Land Bureau (NLB) and Provincial Land Bureau. He has been intimidating the people in order to take the land with various means. It is alleged that Muis Harmunis has spent over 1.2 billion Rupiahs since 1996 to evict the people living in Karuwisi.
3. Violation of housing Rights
These evictions are clearly violating the citizen¡¦s rights as enshrined in the Constitution of Indonesia, which are guaranteed under Article 27 (1), and other laws.
In addition, the forced eviction violates the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which the Government of Indonesia ratified in October 1990, and the government’s commitment to the global plan of action Habitat II, which recognizes the right to adequate housing, condemns forced evictions and encourages a humane way of dealing with poor squatter families.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send an appeal letter, e-mail or fax to the addresses below requesting local authorities to correct this matter.
1. Mrs. Megawati Soekarnoputri, President, Jl. Veteran No. 16, Jakarta, Indonesia, Fax: +62 21 3442223
2. Agung Imam Sumanto, Chairperson of Jakarta City Council, Jl. Kebon Sirih 18, Jakarta, Indonesia, Fax: +62 21 345 4309 / 3508701 / 38123881
3. National Commission for Human Rights, Jl.Latuharhary No.4B Menteng Jakarta Pusat 10330, Tel: +62 21 3925230, Fax: +62 21 3925227
4. Minister for Human Rights and Law Affairs, Jl.Rasuna Said Kav.6-7 Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia, Tel: +62 21 525 3889, Fax: +62 21 525 3095
5. Sutiyoso, Governor of Jakarta, City Hall, Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan No.8-9, Jakarta, Indonesia, Fax: +62 21 384 8653
6. Head of National Police (KAPOLRI), Jl.Tronojoyo No.3 Kebayoran baru Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia, Tel: +62 21 726 0306, Fax: +62 21 720 7277
7. Minister for Human Settlement and Regional Infrastructure, Jl.Patimura 20, Kebayoran Baru, Jaksel, Indonesia, Fax: +62 21 726 0769
Sample Letter:
Dear
Re: Forced eviction of urban poor in Jakarta
I am writing to bring to your attention the ongoing forced eviction of urban poor in Jakarta. According to information I have received, over 15,000 urban poor were evicted from their houses by the local governments of North Jakarta, West Jakarta, East Jakarta and Central Jakarta over the past two months. The local governments utilized police officers and civilian militia and brutally destroyed the urban people’s houses by setting fire to them, using violence, and firing rubber bullets at people. To mention the cases briefly;
1. On 26 August 2003, around 2,000 households in Jembatan Besi of West Jakarta, who have lived there since 1994, were brutally evicted from their homes.
2. On 2 September 2003, 189 houses in Sunter Jaya, Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta were demolished by the security officers of the North Jakarta local government. This demolition has affected the lives of 550 urban poor people, who paid millions of Rupiah of their hard-earned money in 1998 to buy the land for their permanent housing.
3. On 17 September 2003, the West Jakarta local government mobilized 2,000 security officers and civilian militia and demolished 700 houses in Kampung Baru, East Cengkareng Timur. The police fired rubber bullets at the residents and injured a number of the persons including women and children.
4. On 2 October 2003, 2,500 people of 520 houses in Kampung Sawah, Tanjung Duren, West Jakarta were forcibly evicted by the West Jakarta local government. 4,500 security officers, police and civilian militia wearing black shirts and ribbons on their arms were involved in this demolition.
5. On 16 October 2003, about 200 police officers from the Makassar Police knocked down 20 homes in Karuwisi, Makassar, south Sulawesi, and 100 villagers were made homeless. This eviction was carried our following the decree of the Supreme Court that denied the people¡¦s appeal. The villagers have lived in Karuwisi since Japanese occupation. They bought the land and have paid land/building taxes to the local government since then. However, since 1994, Muis Harmunis has claimed land ownership and has intimidated the people to take the land with various means.
These evictions are clearly violating the citizen¡¦s rights as enshrined in the Constitution of Indonesia, which are guaranteed under Article 27 (1), and other laws.
In addition, the forced eviction violates the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which the Government of Indonesia ratified in October 1990, and the government’s commitment to the global plan of action Habitat II, which recognizes the right to adequate housing, condemns forced evictions and encourages a humane way of dealing with poor squatter families.
Under these circumstances, I urge you to:
1. Immediately stop the ongoing evictions and put in place a three-month moratorium.
2. Initiate dialogue with the urban poor, the evicted families, including consultation with civil society groups to find alternatives.
3. Ensure all evicted families are provided with adequate compensation and rehabilitation.
4. Take all necessary measures to prevent further forced evictions being carried out in violation of international human rights law.
5. Guarantee and respect human rights, including the right to adequate housing for the urban poor.
6. Revise Bylaw No. 11/1988 that disrespects the right to housing of the urban poor (special for Jakarta cases) and mandate each local government to develop and implement a Resettlement Policy.
The Indonesian government has an obligation to protect the right to adequate housing of its citizens.
Respectfully yours,
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Depika Sherchan, Programme Officer, Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE)
Asia-Pacific Regional Programme
PO Box 1160, Collingwood, 3066
Australia
Tel: 61.3.9417 7505, Fax: 61.3.9416 2746
Website: www.cohre.org
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Thank you.
Kim Soo A
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
