JAKARTA. Residents of the flood-prone area of Kampung Pulo in East Jakarta were involved in a clash with Public Order Agency officers on Thursday when the Jakarta City Administration was trying to forcefully evict them from their houses built along the banks of the Ciliwung River. The police arrested one resident.​

Thousands of residents blocked Jl. Jatinegara Barat, causing traffic congestion in the nearby areas as the public order, police and military officers, armed with water cannons, kept watch after the brief clash. They delayed the eviction, which was scheduled to start at 7 a.m., due to strong opposition from the residents.​

Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama stressed that his administration would continue with the plan to evict the residents because the houses were built illegally. He said that the residents had accepted the administration’s offer to move to the low-cost apartments, but the residents still wanted compensation for their buildings.​

“They built houses without permits on the state land. If I give compensation to them I may be arrested.​ ​Even if I am not arrested, they could challenge me if I break down their houses built on state land,” Ahok said Thursday as quoted by tribunnews.com.​

​There are more than 1,500 households or some 3400 people occupying Kampung Pulo in Kampung Melayu subdistrict, Jatinegara district. It is the first area inundated when the rainy season comes due to water from upstream areas in Bogor, West Java, flowing through the Ciliwung River.​

​The land seized from the poor residents will be used to expand the capacity of the river.

The clash started on Jl. Jatinegara Barat as the security officers approached the location of the planned eviction. ​ ​Kompas.com reported that the residents pushed the security officers and tried to prevent bulldozers from entering the Kampung Pulo area.​

​The residents threw stones and the officers allegedly responded with tear gas.

Editor: Barratut Taqiyyah Rafie