The curb of hudreds of illegal buildings at Ria Rio Reservoir, or known as Kampung Pendongkelan, Kayu Putih Urban Villlage, Pulogadung Sub-District, East Jakarta, on Saturday (11/15) morning was running chaotic. The residents who did not accept their buildings being demolished were doing resistance by attacking the officers using stones, wood, and molotovs, and also throwing rocks to four heavy equipment in the location.

I also have the girik (land certificate) and the land was occupied by myself, not rented. But why PT Pulomas claims this land is theirs? I never sell my land to them

The residents brutal act was countered by thousands of personnel deployed in the curb. The officers were firing tear gas and spraying water from the water cannon to the residents’ crowd, making them running to all directions. Even so, some desperate residents tried to burn their own houses using gasoline and kerosene.

The officers then chased the residents who were still provocating and doing resistance. They managed to secure some people who were suspected as provocators and brought them to East Jakarta Metro Police Headquarters. Finally, as many as 2,500 joint personnel from TNI, police, and Satpol PP were successfully stopped the residents’ resistance and controlled the situation, so the curb can be held.

Head of Jakarta Satpol PP, Kukuh Hadi Santoso, explained that the curb is conducted to accelerate Ria Rio Reservoir normalization. Hundreds of illegal buildings are demolished by the officers. However, about 300 households or 500 people will be relocated to Komarudin Flat and Jatinegara Kaum Flat.

“Today, we accompany the residents to move to the flats provided by Jakarta Provincial Government. They ask for compensation. But since this is state’s land, of course there are procedures. We give Rp 5 million as compensation to each household,” he stated.

According to Santoso, the 1.5-hectare wide land occupied by the residents is a green open space (RTH) that will be used for flood handling. The whole width of Ria Rio Reservoir itself reaches 26 hectares. If the land was used optimally as green open space and reservoir, it could reduce the flood in East Jakarta.

Meanwhile, Taslimah (51), one of the residents, admitted resign when her house was demolished to the ground. However, she regretted the officers’ action that evict the residents without compromise. She assessed that the residents should have been involved in a discussion to prevent chaos as happened today.

“I also have the girik (land certificate) and the land was occupied by myself, not rented. But why PT Pulomas claims this land is theirs? I never sell my land to them,” she said.