From Kali Mati/Dead River to Tanah Kali/River Land: Displacement of Riverine Settlements in Jakarta, Indonesia

This thesis investigates the significance of water flow in rivers to understand the process of displacement within riverine settlements resulting from flood mitigation policy. Its primary aim is to illuminate the evolving settlement patterns along urban waterfronts while also revisiting the historical context of interconnected riverine landscapes that transcend geographical boundaries to encompass agricultural settlements and port towns worldwide. In doing so, the thesis draws on the historiography of water management and flood mitigation policies alongside the spiritual underpinnings of dwelling landscapes, which influence the trajectories of urbanisation.

The study identifies vitality of water in the historiographies of riverine settlements and how they intersect with state-led town planning initiatives. By examining terms like ‘Kali Mati’/dead river and ‘Tanah Kali’/river land sourced from diverse materials such as archival records, historical literature, oral history, and on-the-ground observations, the research sheds light on the pivotal role of rivers in settling and unsettling urban activities in growing port towns and shaping flood mitigation policies affecting waterfront areas. Through a nuanced analysis of displacements along the low-lying plain of Kali Ciliwung in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, the study elucidates the emergence of flood control infrastructure provision and growing private land development projects. It proposes the concept of ‘river land’ as a framework for comprehending the spirituality of the ebb and flow of rivers on the land-filled terrain, which entails continuous occupation in riverine settlements.