Chicken poop, brick wall at center of neighbors’ quarrel in East Java

A 1-meter high wall stretches across the front of the house of Wisnu Widodo in Gandukepuh village in Ponorogo regency, East Java. The wall was built by Wisnu’s neighbors who were mad about stepping in the droppings of his chickens. Kompas.com/Mita via The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network

JAKARTA — Wisnu Widodo, 48, has had difficulties entering and exiting his own house in Gandukepuh village in Ponorogo regency, East Java, since 2017 because the only access point has been blocked by a 1-meter high wall built by his neighbors, couple Mistun and Edy, as part of a drawn-out quarrel that has involved chicken droppings and legal proceedings.

Gandukepuh village head Suroso said the dispute began in 2016 when Mistun became increasingly annoyed at often accidentally stepping on the droppings left by the chickens that roamed Wisnu’s front yard.

“Mistun and her husband Edy sometimes stepped on chicken poop when passing Wisnu’s house. That motivated them to put up a wall,” Suroso said, as quoted by kompas.com on Saturday.

Wisnu has since had to put a chair in front of the wall so he can climb over.

“Yes, it’s difficult to enter my house,” he said.

Wisnu took his neighbors to court after the village authorities failed to mediate between both parties. The local district court ruled in favor of Wisnu and ordered Mistun and Edy to tear down the wall as it was obstructing Wisnu. The Gandukepuh village administration also stated that the wall had been built on village land not private land.

However, Mistun reportedly insisted that the wall had been built on her land, Suroso added.

“When I gave the court letter [to Mistun], I heard that she wanted to file an appeal to the court,” he said.