Fragrant Tolerance of the Residents of Former Bayam Village in the Former Waste Disposal

In the midst of the difficulties of living in temporary housing, the residents of the former Bayam Village are cultivating authentic tolerance.

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

Hofni (30) is currently cleaning a church that was built in the middle of temporary housing for former residents of Kampung Bayang on Tongkol Street, Ancol Village, Pademangan District, North Jakarta, on Sunday (27/5/2024). Nearby, residents are also building a mosque.

In the midst of suffering from not having proper housing, the residents of the former Kampung Bayam spread the fragrant fragrance of tolerance. In the former waste disposal area, they built two places of worship, namely a church and a prayer room which stand side by side.

Hofni (30) seemed busy cleaning the church which had just been used as a place for wedding blessings and worship, Sunday (26/5/2024). This church, located on Jalan Tongkol, Ancol Village, Pademangan District, North Jakarta, looks very simple. Measuring around 5 meters x 7 meters, has plywood walls, cement floor and asbestos roof.

Around 25 plastic chairs are available to the congregation, facing directly towards a wooden pulpit placed at the front of the worship place. "Every Sunday, we worship in this place," said Hofni.

This church was indeed built alongside the construction of temporary housing (huntara) for former residents of Kampung Bayam. "Because out of the 37 households living here, 20 are Christian families," said Hofni.

Not only a place of worship, the building is also used as a place for congregants to play music and sing together. "Although our church is located near the homes of Muslim residents, there has never been any conflict," said Hofni.

Also read: Tolerance

About 15 meters from the church, residents also built a mosque almost the same size as the church. In that place, Muslim residents carry out their religious obligations. There is a place for ablutions and prayer mats are also available for those who want to worship.

Chairman of the Kampung Bayam Farmer Group, Muhammad Furqon, often uses this mosque as a place to pray, both individually and in congregation. "Sometimes, this mosque also becomes a gathering place for residents," said Furqon.

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

A number of former residents of Susun Bayam Village are sharing clean water in a temporary shelter located in Tongkol Street, Ancol Village, Pademangan District, North Jakarta on Sunday (26/5/2024). They have been living there since being evicted from Susun Bayam Village.

Furqon said that these two places of worship were built about 1.5 years ago. The construction was carried out together by residents without regard to ethnicity or religion. "Because we have the same fate, we do all our work together," said Furqon.

In addition to two places of worship, there are also 50 residences for 50 families with sizes of approximately 3 meters x 7 meters and 3 meters x 9 meters. However, currently, only 37 families occupy these residences. The rest reside in Nagrak apartment in North Jakarta.

Initially, this apartment complex was built as a temporary residence for former residents of Kampung Bayam whose houses were affected by the development of the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS). The residents voluntarily lived in the apartment complex because they were promised vertical housing units as a replacement for their displaced homes.

The vertical houses referred to are the Bayam Housing Complex (KSB) located in Papanggo Village, Tanjung Priok District, right next to JIS.

The residents voluntarily moved to a low-cost apartment and began their lives anew. When they moved to the low-cost apartment, according to Furqon, the residents were shocked because the area had become a dumping ground for fiber waste.

Also read: Simalakama Life Stories of Former Bayam Village Residents

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

A resident is showing a source of clean water in a temporary shelter located on Tongkol Street, Ancol Village, Pademangan District, North Jakarta, on Sunday (26/5/2024). They live there after being expelled from the Bayam Vertical Housing Complex.

Moreover, former residents of Kampung Bayam also had to confront thugs who questioned their presence on Tongkol Street. After discussions with all stakeholders, the former residents of Kampung Bayam were finally able to build and occupy the area.

"We also built a place of worship as a place for residents to pray," said Furqon.

The strong bond of brotherhood among residents of former Kampung Bayam was evident during their stay in KSB from November 2023 to May 2024. There, they worked together to clean the grass around KSB and replaced it with food crops such as chili, eggplant, mustard greens, spinach, cassava, and water spinach.

Yohanes Londar (68) is one of the farmers who cultivates various crops in KSB. "Before being cultivated in KSB, I tried first in the church yard. When it was successful, I moved the seedlings to KSB," said Yohanes, who works as a security guard.

For Yohanes and Furqon, all the residents of the former Kampung Bayam are like brothers.

Unfortunately, after being expelled from KSB, the crop planted by residents was abandoned. "Even though we were about to harvest. According to the plan, the harvest results were going to be put in the group's fund to finance our needs," said Yohanes.

For Yohanes and Furqon, all residents of the former Bayam Village are like brothers. Furqon remembers when he had to be in jail on April 3, 2024, because he was deemed to have lived in KSB illegally and stole.

However, based on the results of mediation between residents and the company, namely PT Jakarta Propertindo, on May 21, 2024, Furqon was released on the condition that residents leave KSB. "I never expected the residents to do this for my freedom," said Furqon.

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

The situation of homes in temporary housing located on Tongkol Street, Ancol Village, Pademangan District, North Jakarta, on Sunday (May 26, 2024). They live there after being evicted from the Bayam Flats Village.

Now, after returning to their homes, residents are also working together to reorganize their lives. They are planting a number of food crops in small fields and building clean water infrastructure that is a basic need for the community.

Samesto Nitisastro, a human resources practitioner, thinks that the word tolerance in Indonesia is actually easy to say, but very difficult to apply. Maybe the person who said it was just following along without understanding the meaning. Or just to look contemporary?

It could also be that those who say it pretend not to know the meaning because they will justify what they are doing. In other words, tolerance is interpreted as they wish. Especially by certain groups who have the habit of imposing their will.

KOMPAS/DEFRI WERDIONO

Apart from the Grand Mosque Jami, the Malang City Square, and the roads surrounding the mosque, Eid al-Fitr 1444 H worshippers also utilized the courtyard of the Catholic Parish Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Kayutangan, on Saturday (22/4/2023). The church opened its gates wide to accommodate Muslims who performed Eid al-Fitr prayers.

As a dignified nation, we must truly understand and live the meaning of tolerance wholeheartedly. Of course, this must also be reflected in daily attitudes and behavior in social life. (Kompas.id, 9 June 2024)

From the top of a former waste disposal site, residents of the former Bayam Village show their true tolerant attitude. This attitude strengthens the sense of brotherhood to remain strong in facing suffering.