Dutch displaced thousands of Betawi residents to build elite settlement in Jakarta

In 1948, the Dutch colonial administration forcibly displaced thousands of indigenous Betawi residents to construct the Kebayoran Baru elite settlement in Jakarta. This ambitious urban development project encompassed 730 hectares of land, which had previously been agricultural villages.

The area, comprising villages like Grogol Udik, Pela Petogogan, Gandaria Noord, and Senayan, was a productive region known for its fruit cultivation and rice paddies. The Dutch administration's decision to build a satellite city on this land marked a significant disruption to the existing community and its traditional way of life.

Initial plans for the site reportedly included the construction of an airport before the focus shifted to developing Kebayoran Baru. The displacement highlights a colonial-era effort to reshape urban landscapes for specific administrative and residential purposes, disregarding the impact on the local population.