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BMW squatters demand rights
Triwik Kurniasari , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 10/10/2008 10:49 AM | City
Dozens of squatters, once living in BMW park in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, filed complaints Thursday with the National Human Rights Commission following a harsh eviction carried out by the city the day before.
They also urged the administration to provide them with proper, economical housing since they had no place to go.
For the second time in two months, North Jakarta public order officers tore down hundreds of dwellings in the Bersih, Manusiawi dan Berwibawa (Clean, humane and esteemed, or BMW) park Wednesday, forcing illegal squatters to leave the area.
Just like the first evictions on Aug. 24, the sweep escalated into a melee as many squatters, mostly women and children, resisted officers' efforts to remove them.
Many squatters suffered major and minor injuries to their arms, legs and heads. They were later taken to Koja Hospital.
One of the squatters, Boki, who suffered bruises on her hands, said the officers had been brutal, hitting everyone who blocked their way.
"They beat us with their wooden sticks and stepped on people who fell. They didn't seem to care at all even though we're women," said Boki in tears. She earns her living as a trashpicker.
"They destroyed my belongings. Now, my eight-year-old son and I live under the tollroad, near the park. We have no relatives in the city. It's impossible for me to go back to my hometown in Ambon (Maluku) because I've got no money."
Vice head of the rights commission, M. Ridha Saleh, said the public order officers had violated the squatters' human rights.
"We really regret this. We will urge the administration to engage in dialogue with the squatters. This whole matter should be handled more cooperatively to give these people some way out.
"We will also meet with the National Women's Commission and the National Commission on Children to discuss the violence, including how to educate the squatters' children about what happened," he said.
Illegal squatters began occupying BMW Park, locally known as Kampung Bayam (Spinach kampung), in the early 1990s.
Most are employed as gardeners and factory workers, with some living off the sale of recycled trash.
It is the second largest park in the city after the 80-hectare National Monument (Monas) park in Central Jakarta, and was built during Governor Wiyogo Atmodarminto's administration (1987-1992).
The administration had plans to restore the 66-hectare park as part of an effort to add a total of 55,540 square meters to the city's green areas. however, it later announced it would instead build an international sports stadium on the site.
The North Jakarta mayor Effendi Anas previously said his administration was offering low-cost rental apartments for squatters who chose to remain in the city.
