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Activists call for Bandung to be stripped of human rights title
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Bandung Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) officers throw rocks at residents and activists who tried to prevent evictions at community unit 11 in Taman Sari sub-district, Bandung, West Java, on Thursday. (JP/Arya Dipa)
H
uman rights activists are urging the central government to revoke Bandung’s title of Human Rights Friendly City following the forced eviction of residents of Taman Sari subdistrict in the provincial capital of West Java on Thursday.
Bandung hosted on Dec. 10 an event commemorating International Human Rights Day, during which the city was bestowed with the honor by the Law and Human Rights Ministry.
Willy Hanafi, the director of Bandung Legal Aid Institute (LBH Bandung) said the forced eviction — carried out by the Bandung Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) in connection with the city administration’s plan to construct rumah deret (row houses) in the area — had violated human rights.
“Bandung Satpol PP has violated human rights by carrying out the eviction without proper procedures, especially as a legal challenge [in relation to the construction] is still ongoing in the courts,” Willy said.
The lawsuit was filed by the Taman Sari residents against Bandung Public Housing and Settlement Agency for issuing an environmental permit for the housing construction in Taman Sari. The residents and activists are challenging the permit on the basis that it is not in accordance with the 2009 Environment Law.
Willy said the court ruling was expected on Dec. 19.
On Thursday, the Bandung administration ordered the eviction of the residents of community unit (RW) 11 in Taman Sari subdistrict as the area has been earmarked as the location for the Taman Sari rumah deret project, which was conceived in 2017 under then-Bandung mayor Ridwan Kamil’s administration.
