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Activists call for Bandung to be stripped of human rights title
Man who can’t be moved: Bandung Public Order Agency officers remove a man who attempted to prevent the demolition of buildings in Tamansari subdistrict in the West Java provincial capital on Thursday
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an who can’t be moved: Bandung Public Order Agency officers remove a man who attempted to prevent the demolition of buildings in Tamansari subdistrict in the West Java provincial capital on Thursday. The Bandung city administration designated 17 buildings to be replaced by new housing. (JP/Arya Dipa)
Human rights activists are urging the central government to revoke Bandung’s title of Human Rights Friendly City following the forced eviction of residents of Tamansari 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 Tamansari residents against Bandung Public Housing and Settlement Agency for issuing an environmental permit for the housing construction in Tamansari. 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 Tamansari subdistrict as the area has been earmarked as the location for the Tamansari rumah deret project, which was conceived in 2017 under then-Bandung mayor Ridwan Kamil’s administration.
Satpol PP had initially sent out a notice informing the residents to vacate their homes as the land belonged to the city administration.
However, at around 9 a.m. on Thursday, hundreds of Satpol PP officers suddenly flooded into the area without any prior announcement and started entering the residents’ homes.
“They took people’s belongings out of their houses. Dozens of police officers also entered the location not long after that,” Willy said on Thursday.
Police personnel continued to arrive at the location while Satpol PP officers emptied out the homes. Several residents and activists acting in solidarity helped to move the belongings inside nearby Al-Islam Mosque, located at the main entrance of RW 11.
The eviction — which affected at least 33 households that had refused to be relocated — continued with officers operating a backhoe to tear down buildings, even though they were unable to provide any documentation ordering the eviction, Willy said.
“This arbitrary act led to other residents and activists at the location forming a line to block the officers from continuing what they were doing,” Willy said.
The tension escalated into clashes between security personnel and opponents of the eviction in the afternoon, with the police firing tear gas at around 2:45 p.m. to disperse the resisting crowd.
“The police went on to conduct a sweep and lifted anyone who they suspected was part of the resistance,” Willy said, “We are still trying to gather the data on those who have been arrested.”
West Java Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Trunojoyo confirmed on Thursday that some 25 people had been detained during the incident, alleging that those arrested had incited trouble as the eviction was taking place.
“We also arrested three people for bringing sharp weapons to the location,” Trunojoyo said as quoted by tempo.co.
By their forceful eviction of the residents, LBH Bandung accused the officers of violating the 1945 Constitution, as well as Article 28 of the 1999 Human Rights Law and the 2011 Housing Area Law.
“We demand that the eviction process be stopped and we oppose all forms of repressive action,” Willy said, adding that officers who forced the residents to abandon their homes should apologize and pay for the damage they caused.
Authorities should have upheld the citizens’ right to decent living standards, he went on. “Just revoke Bandung’s title as a Human Rights Friendly City.”
