Anti-U.S. protests reduce bus drivers' earnings<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Continuing demonstrations against the U.S.- led strikes on
\nAfghanistan have affected the daily income of public
\ntransportation drivers here since early this week.<\/p>\n
Bus drivers, particularly those serving the routes adjacent to
\nareas which are the targets of demonstrations such as Jl. Medan
\nMerdeka Selatan where the U.S. Embassy is located, said on
\nWednesday they had experienced a 40 percent decline in their
\ndaily income.<\/p>\n
A driver of a bus plying the Tanah Abang-Senen route, blamed
\nthe demonstrators for the loss he incurred.<\/p>\n
\"I usually get Rp 170,000 (US$17) per day but due to the
\nongoing protests, I cannot even get Rp 100,000,\" Abud, the
\ndriver, said.<\/p>\n
\"Who wants to listen to them? They should demonstrate for
\nother more urgent issues,\" he said, adding that the
\ndemonstrations were pointless.<\/p>\n
A public minivan driver also said that his income had dropped
\nslightly, but he did not think that the demonstrations were to
\nblame. \"Demos? No problem. It has nothing to do with my income
\ndecreasing,\" said Toha, the driver, who noted that he usually
\nearned Rp 150,000 a day.<\/p>\n
Most taxi drivers, however, claimed to have experienced an
\nincrease in their daily income since Monday, when the
\ndemonstrations started.<\/p>\n
Pasaribu, a taxi driver, said that since early this week his
\ndaily earnings had surged from the usual Rp 250,000 per day to
\nabout Rp 300,000 a day.<\/p>\n
\"I didn't expect to get more passengers. I thought people
\nwould be afraid to go out these days,\" he told The Jakarta Post
\non Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The 31-year-old man said that more people were seen waiting
\nfor taxis around Jl. M.H. Thamrin in Central Jakarta; a common
\nsite of demonstrations.<\/p>\n
People apparently opted to travel by taxis rather than their
\nown cars because they were afraid that demonstrators may
\nvandalize their vehicles.<\/p>\n
\"Using taxis, their transportation costs will certainly be
\nhigher but that way they save their own cars from vandalism,\" he
\nremarked.<\/p>\n
At first, Pasaribu was also afraid of possible violence by the
\ndemonstrators. However, he found the demonstrators were not
\ndestructive toward motorists or passersby. \"Therefore, I'm not
\nafraid to pass through demonstrations,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Demonstrations are OK, as long as they do not damage public
\nproperty,\" he said, adding that every citizen has the right to
\ndemonstrate.<\/p>\n
A number of militant groups have been conducting anti-American
\ndemonstrations in front of the U.S. Embassy on Jl. Medan Merdeka
\nSelatan and the British Embassy on Jl. M.H. Thamrin, both in
\nCentral Jakarta.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/anti-us-protests-reduce-bus-drivers-earnings-1447893297",
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