Jakarta Residents Urge Anies Baswedan to Revoke Ahok's Rule on Evictions

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Protesters calling themselves the Civil Coalition against Eviction demand Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan revoke Gubernatorial Regulation or Pergub No. 207 of 2016 issued in the era of Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok which stipulates evictions.

The orator of the rally highlighted that Anies who used to beat Ahok in the 2017 Regional Head Election (Pilkada) now resumes the latter’s legacy.

“We are here to meet Pak Governor Anies Baswedan, who previously won the election in a duel with Ahok and is now [using] Pergub 207/2016 issued by Ahok,” said the orator in front of the City Hall, Central Jakarta, Thursday, Feb. 24.

The coalition consists of cooperatives of ex-evicted residents across the capital, mass organizations, and student organizations. One of the participants in the action from Pancoran Buntu II, Lilik Sulistyo, outlined five issues that stemmed from Pergub 207/2016.

One of them is forced evictions by mobilizing officers to intimidate residents. “Not only losing houses but the safety of the people affected by the eviction is also threatened,” Lilik added.

Thus, the coalition voiced four demands to Anies Baswedan: revoke Pergub 207/2016, replace the policy with regulations that meet human rights standards, involve the community, the National Commission on Human rights (Komnas HAM), and Komnas Perempuan to draft the regulations, as well as design a regulation on an agrarian reform roadmap with the community.

Read: Muara Angke Residents Demand Clean Water before Anies Baswedan Office

LANI DIANA WIJAYA