34 'hookers' arrested in public order raid<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
After suspending street operations for about two months due to
\nthe recent floods, the City Public Order Office showed its force
\nby arresting 34 alleged female street prostitutes early Saturday
\nmorning.<\/p>\n
Helped by the police and military, the officers arrested the
\nalleged sex workers on Jl. Gunung Sahari, in Kemayoran and Senen
\nin Central Jakarta; on Jl. Hayam Wuruk, West Jakarta; on Jl.
\nKramat Tunggak, in the Tanjung Priok harbor area; Plumpang in
\nNorth Jakarta and on Jl. Matraman, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
They were arrested for violating the City Bylaw No. 11\/1988 on
\npublic order.<\/p>\n
Many of the women claimed they were simply hanging around
\nafter working while some of them stated that they were helping
\nfriends in the food stalls.<\/p>\n
\"Is it forbidden to hang around after working?\" one of the
\nwomen shouted while trying to contact her relatives through her
\ncellular phone.<\/p>\n
Most of the women could not show their identification cards or
\ngive details of their jobs.<\/p>\n
Head of the City Public Order and Social Protection Agency
\noperation, Toha Reno, promised to free the women if they were
\npicked up by their parents or relatives, on the condition that
\nthey had never been arrested before.<\/p>\n
\"We once wrongly arrested a woman, but her parent forgave us.
\nBut most of our officers could make the distinction if a woman is
\na prostitute or not,\" Toha said.<\/p>\n
Some years ago, East Jakarta public order officers wrongly
\narrested a woman they thought was a prostitute in an operation in
\nJatinegara.<\/p>\n
The women, a maid, was reportedly raped by one of the
\nofficers. The case was settled out of court as the officer
\npromised to marry the maid in her hometown in West Java.<\/p>\n
The incident sparked public criticism of the operations which
\nwere then postponed for sometime.<\/p>\n
The city administration allocated Rp 65 billion (US$6.5
\nmillion) in the 2002 City Budget for public order operations
\nagainst street vendors, singers, prostitutes and the homeless.<\/p>\n
Toha said the women arrested in Saturday's operation would be
\nsent to the city's rehabilitation center in Kedoya, West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"They would be at the center for between three days and six
\nmonths. Women who had been netted in earlier raids, would stay
\nlonger,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said the prostitutes who would stay longer in the center,
\nwould be trained on subjects such as sewing and hair dressing.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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