Indonesian police fire tear gas, water cannon at Jakarta protesters

Reuters 20 Aug 15;

Residents facing eviction from a flood-prone part of Indonesia's capital of Jakarta clashed with police on Thursday, prompting security forces to fire tear gas and water cannon.

Land disputes are common in Indonesia, where efforts by government and business to acquire and clear property are frequently held back by overlapping permits and a legacy of unclear land titles, often resulting in violence.

At least two police officers and three residents were injured in Thursday's clashes, according to police, adding there were 27 arrests.

The latest clash centres around efforts by Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama to remove squatters and demolish housing along the banks of Jakarta's Ciliwung River in Kampung Pulo, which frequently floods during the monsoon season.

According to Jakarta Police chief Tito Karnavian, the government hoped to relocate residents from some 546 dwellings in Kampung Pulo, but many had asked for compensation instead of the alternative housing on offer.

(Reporting by Djohan Widjaya and Tommy Ardiansyah; Writing by Fergus Jensen; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)