Representatives from the developers often come to offer payment especially to recognised leaders in the squatter communities, to set the example by leaving on their own accord. The amount is often not disclosed to others. At the same time, some of these community leaders and also some local political leaders are paid to persuade the squatters to leave. In many cases they are known to be paid about RM1,000 for every household thev manage to persuade to demolish their own houses and then leave; or sometimes they are awarded with free houses after successfully persuading squatters to leave. Some
Not so Green Times China Green Times is an ambitious publication. Since January 1998, it has been campaigning to raise awareness of the country's terrifying ecological problems.
The destruction and pollution of China's environment has long been an acute problem. In July 1996, the People's Daily admitted that "environmental pollution is still expanding, from urban centres to the countryside. The scope of ecological destruction is also expanding, becoming a constraining tactor attecting overall economic and social development."
A recent World Bank Environmental Report was more concrete. China's urban pollution is the worst in the world Ten of the 20 most air-polluted cities in the world are in China.
Most cadres pay only lip service to the implementation of environmental legislation. The driving force behind economic reform is pursuit of immediate profits, at the expense of other concerns. One People's Daily reporter commented that, "as a result, more losses are incurred, and grave consequences are irreversible." Water shortages
China faces three major water problems, according to Chen Zhongde of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The biggest problem is the lack of water in vast areas, especially in North and North-west China. Over half of China's cities lack water, and lost industrial output due to lack of water costs 100 billion renminbi (US$12bn.) every year.
The second problem is flooding, which is increasingly frequent. Four major floods had occurred between 1991 and 1996, each incurring more damages than the previous one. Direct economic loss in 1996 was RMB 200 billion, almost double the damage caused by the 1991 flood
The third problem is the pollution of water. A growing part of China's limited water supplies are now undrinkable. An estimated 60% of water in the Yellow River basin has declined to the lowest categories 4 and 5. The amount of water in the river has declined almost every year since 1972. The level of undrinkable water in the Yangtze and Pearl River systems is lower (22-24%)
Reporter Chen Guidi toured 48 cities along the Huai River for 108 days, and reported that, of the 191 larger tributaries of the Huai River, 80% of the water had turned black and stinky; two-thirds of the river had totally lost any use value. The Water Works Bureau admits that the pollution of China's water resources is "very serious," with no appropriate control of sewage
Most water pollution comes from factory wastes dumped into the river untreated. By the end of 1996, 50,000 factories had been closed down for this reason. But the damage was done
Another serious ecological problem is the logging industry. Abusive woodcutting destroys forests and causes soil erosion. This contributes to the siltation of rivers, which contributes to floods and droughts.
According to the Civil Affairs Ministry in 1996 almost 300 million people were affected by floods and droughts, in 24 different provinces. [ZK] * Source: October Review Vol.25 Issue 1, 28 February 1998. PO Box 10144, Hong Kong <or@earthling.net>
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* Malaysia police officers are also suspected to be under the pay of developers to threaten or coerce the squatters to leave or to stand on the side of developers during forced eviction; Forced eviction
By adopting one or more of the above methods, many developers have succeeded in getting large number of squatters to leave. But some refuse to do so. When this happens, the developers obtain a court order. Armed with such an order, officers from the Land Office and other enforcement officers, with the support of big police contingents, arrive to evict these squatters. They use tractors to bring down the houses. On many occasions other property belonging to the squatters have been destroyed
If there is any resistance from squatters by refusing to move out of their homes or trying to stop the demolition work, then the police personnel step in. They use water cannons and sometimes dogs to disperse the squatters. In a few cases, squatter areas, especially those which have been identified for clearance, have suddenly caught fire. Arson has been suspected. Force can easily brought to bear on the squatters because they cannot resort to any law to protect them, simply because such laws do not exist.
For most people, only these last actions are perceived as forced eviction. But they are only the culmination of the process. The earlier stages must be recognised as part and parcel of the forced eviction, and treated as such. Resistance by squatters
Different squatter communities respond in different ways to attempts to evict them: Action Committee
On receipt of notice to clear their settlement, affected squatters often form an Action Committee, and co-ordinate with the Urban Pioneers Support Committee (JSPB), which has been organised in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru by social activists and squatters themselves. The action committee arranges meetings of the squatters to discuss their strategies and to collect funds for contingencies.
Squatter housing as a % of total housing stock, selected cities, 1990
20 30 40 60 Caracas Venezuela
Dar es Salaam
Tanzania Karachi Pakistan Tunis Tunisia New Delhi India
Rio de Janeiro
Brazil
Source: World Resources Institute
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Legal Aid
The Action Committee, with the help of the Urban Pioneers Support Committee (especially the lawyer who is one of its Advisors) obtains services of a lawyer to institute court action to stop any attempt to demolish the squatter homes. He/she or they will be retained for all legal purposes inside and outside court. Resisting Demolition
When the enforcement team arrives to carry out demolition work, some squatters try to stop them, by forming barricades, while others (particularly women and children remain in their houses to resist. During the confrontation between the squatters and the enforcement team, angry exchanges and intense discussions are often carried out to postpone demolition of the houses. Sometimes this succeeds, but most of the time the appeals of the squatters fall on deaf ears.
Meanwhile, through Pioneers Support Committee, other squatter communities and supportive NGOs are informed, and some of them come to join in the resistance. Members of opposition parties sometimes also come to give support.
The media are often informed by the Action Committee, Urban Pioneers Support Committee or other NGOs about any demolition attempt or arrests and trials of squatters. Sometimes, depending on what happens, media coverage is quite Demonstrations
Particularly after demolition of their houses, many affected squatters, together with supporters from other communities or organisations, have held demonstrations, either in front of the developer's office, the Local Council and even the Menteri Besar's (Chief Minister) office, to protest against demolition and also to demand just treatment.
In connection with most of the demonstrations, the squatters movement has prepared written memorandums to be submitted to the authorities concerned. A 1995 Memorandum to the Prime Minister elaborated the main demands of the plantation workers and urban pioneers.
In November 1997, a second squatters' Memorandum registered protest against a government decision to quicken eviction procedures by asking the relevant department to cut water and electricity supply, and using the police and even military personnel. It reiterated the demands of squatters that forced eviction should be abolished, and that alternative land and houses, as well as adequate compensation, should be provided before any eviction takes place. It insisted that all conflicts should be settled by negotiation.
Another memorandum, submitted to the Minister of Housing, described in detail the problems of squatters, forced eviction, the poor conditions of the long houses and low cost houses, and the squatters' fundamental demands.
Not much lobby work has been carried out by the squatters through Parliament. Occasionally, they approach their members of Parliament to help them, although this has never proven to be useful. On two occasions, two separate communities went to Parliament during its sitting, in order to put forward their demands to its members, both in government and the opposition. But their efforts did not result in anything substantial.
After every demolition, reports have been made to the police regarding destruction of property, injury inflicted on squatters, unfair or one-sided police actions, etc. In cases of injury, the victims are often sent for medical examination. Reports have also been submitted by different communities to the Public Complaints Bureau and other government departments, regarding unjust actions by government servants whenever they occurred, before or during demolition, or any breach of the law, especially regarding public
Squatters and their NGO supporters have also initiated a large number of court cases: There have been many court cases taken up by the squatters relating to stay orders, rights of possession and compensation. Some of these cases have been partially settled while others have dragged on almost endlessly. At the same time there have also been cases instituted by a small number of squatters against the police for allegedly injuring them.
And, obviously, squatters have had to defend themselves in cases instituted by developers against squatters for illegal occupation of land, and by the police for allegedly obstructing them from carrying out their duties, or even for allegedly causing injury. Negotiations
The various ways by which squatters have resisted forced eviction have led to some developers negotiating. This is especially true wherever the squatters' resistance has shown itself to be prolonged and determined: refusing to move out, erecting and re-erecting sheds or tents after every demolition. Developers know that court cases are usually slow, and take a long time to arrive at conclusions. Delays in starting their development work cause heavy financial burdens on the developers. and so they often try to reach earlier settlement through negotiations.
During the last three years the Urban Pioneers Support Committee has been involved directly or indirectly with about 27 squatter areas, of which 21 which have been fully or partially demolished, and six have received notice and are awaiting demolition. They involve over 5,000 households, with about 40,000 people This is probably less than ten percent of those who have been affected by these actions all over the country. Unfortunately,
are no statistics on the total number milies or people countrywide who either left on their own accord or e forcibly evicted. Free housing
Only a very small proportion of the squatters have been given free houses or flats. The best example are those from Bumi Hijau. Originally, about 600 people were encouraged to open this area about 30 years ago, after the inter-ethnic conflict in 1969, and also in pursuant of the government "green earth" policy, which was to encourage people to plant vegetables around their homes. About 15 years ago the land was sold to a Government Officers Co-operative for housing Squatters demands • Forced eviction should be illegal. • Squatters should be relocated only after agreement is reached through direct negotiations between them and the developers. • In the meantime, the municipal authorities must recognise the existence of urban pioneers, and provide them with basic facilities • Whatever happens, individual and property rights of urban squatters must be respected • squatters must be protected from cruelty and injustice • All unjust regulations that can be used to evict, threaten or arbitrarily arrest urban squatters must be abolished • New legislation should be instituted in order to guarantee that squatters are provided with alternative land and housing and/or adequate compensation before they are moved out of their settlements. * Source: Urban Pioneers Support Committee, Malavsia development, consisting mainly of flats.
Most of these people left the area after being offered up to RM12,000 in compen-
Seventeen families refused to budge.
Several attempts were made to forcibly evict them. The leader of the Action Committee was arrested, detained and brought to court more than 12 times, but he was acquitted almost every time. His wife and children experienced similar treatment.
These tamilies resisted for nearly 12 years. Their perseverance finally paid off. A new company that bought this housing project agreed to compensate each of the 13 families with a plot of land (about 550 square metres) and a three room house. Besides, the company also agreed to build a community hall, a prayer place, a road and a bridge leading to the area.
Many squatters, after receiving notices, have been persuaded to move to rumah panjang ('long houses'). These congested terrace houses, usually built with poor quality wood, have two small rooms, each about 3x3 square metres. Facilities are very poor. In most cases, compensation ranges from RM300 (US$75) to RM5,000 ($1,300). In some cases squatters have been able to use these funds as down payment for low cost flats.
Squatters are often told that they will be in the long house for only up to two years, after which they could buy flats in nearby low-cost developments. But some families have spent more than 10 years in long houses, either because they were not selected or because they could not afford
Some of the long houses have even been demolished to make way for new development projects: their unlucky residents have to move to other areas, becoming squatters all over again.
Most housing development in areas once occupied by squatters is high or medium cost, because this is more profitable to the developers. Only a small amount of the new housing is low cost: mostly two or two 1/2 room flats in badlybuilt 18-22 storey towers, built too close together. Usually there is no playground, and garbage collection is irregular and inefficient. And so, soon the environment becomes polluted. These low cost housing areas often become new - legal - slums.
These cheap flats cost about 25,000 ringgit ($6,500). Developers complain that this is too little to cover the building costs, but even so, many evicted squatters cannot afford to buy such apartments. Even where the developers arrange for 15-20 year mortgages, squatters' income is often too low for them to make the regular payments. And people over 40 are not eligible for these mortgages anyway.
In order to pay the rent, many exsquatters take a second job, at night, and this affects their health. Not surprisingly, there have been many cases where squatters are unable to repay their loans and so are forced to sell or give up their flats. Some of them go back to squatter
The number of low cost houses actually built falls short of the target.
Which was already much lower than the actual number of low cost houses really necessary to solve the housing problem of the poor. Meanwhile, the number of medium and especially high cost houses actually built exceeds government targets.
Recently, at the insistence of housing developers, the government removed the levy of RM100,000 ($26,250) imposed last year on foreigners who want to buy houses costing over 250,000 ringgit ($65,500). Under a new quota, foreigners can now buy up to 50% of housing in each new development. This has increased house prices to levels which the average Malaysian cannot afford. Compensation
There is no accepted method or amount for payment of compensation. Sometimes evicted squatters receive nothing. Those relocated to long houses often receive some compensation, while, as described earlier, some particularly persistent squatters receive free land and houses. The highest compensation payments have been in the handful of cases where courts award squatters with compensation and legal costs, or land to build Future strategies
Among many lessons drawn from experiences is that squatters have to be united, resolute and strong in order to succeed in their struggle. The danger is that they are often easily weakened by different political interests, ethnic prejudices, and consideration of personal gains, as well as being easily threatened by fear of the powers that be, and easily deceived by leaders who may not have the interests of squatters at heart. Further, most of the squatters who have their cases resolved or their demands met, seldom continue their struggle. So the most important thing is to devise strategies on how to build up and retain the organisational strength of the squatters so that they can be more
Squatters who leave early without a fight often get a very raw deal. Experiences show that only those willing and able to put up a fight, resisting hard to stop their houses from being demolished, repeatedly erecting a new shed or tent every time the authorities come to destroy them, and are ready to take their oppressors to court when necessary finally manage to get good compensation.
In other words, the developers and the authorities are indirectly training the squatters to toughen themselves up. and to struggle hard in order to finally obtain compensation. * *The author is President of Parti Rakyat Malaysia (Peoples Party). Formerly Professor of Anthropology and Sociology at the University of Malaya, he was detained without trial under the Internal Security Act from 1974 to 1980. He has written several books, including most recently Two Faces: Detention Without Trial (Kuala Lumpur: Insan, 1996).
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on South Africa has been manifested, through the fiscal squeeze and through market-oriented policies that have stifled economic growth and redistribution, in job losses, crisis in education, closure of hospitals, widening loopholes in the social security net, water cut-offs, the worsening housing shortage, and persistent malnutrition and poverty, in a context of deepening inequality in what is already the second most unequal country in the world.
The Conference agreed on the need to confront these social ills, but also to address the root cause, which Conference concluded lies in large part in economic policies designed in Washington and implemented in Pretoria through the often unthinking actions of - and lack of consultation by — our own government. The way forward
A Globalisation Campaigns Committee will take forward and help co-ordinate several initiatives, including protest against US President Bill Clinton's visit to South Africa, on the following grounds: