'Becak' drivers not involved in riot<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): An activist fighting for the right of becak
\n(pedicab) drivers to operate again in parts of Jakarta denied
\nyesterday that drivers had been involved in a massive attack last
\nweek on a district administration office in West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Wardah Hafidz from the Urban Poor Consortium said she believed
\nthe assault was engineered by certain parties which did not want
\nto see the return of becak drivers to the city.<\/p>\n
\"But it's difficult to point fingers at a culprit, let alone
\nprove it,\" she said during a demonstration held by becak drivers
\nyesterday in the National Monument park.<\/p>\n
Dozens of shops and motorcycles were damaged during the attack
\nin the Mangga Besar area Friday night. Becak drivers were
\nreported to be responsible for the incident.<\/p>\n
Some 300 becak drivers attended yesterday's demonstration to
\nprotest the city's inconsistent becak policies. Jakarta Governor
\nSutiyoso said in June that he would allow becak to operate in the
\ncity again during the monetary crisis. The decision, however, was
\nrevoked only seven days after the announcement was made.<\/p>\n
Becak drivers who entered the city during the brief time the
\ncity was allowing them to operate have been ordered to go home
\nagain.<\/p>\n
Wardah said the drivers did not hold their protest in front of
\nCity Hall as they had done before since they considered the
\nadministration and councilors as having no interest in their
\nproblems.<\/p>\n
\"The city is deaf to our concerns. That's why we stopped
\ncomplaining to them (the officials),\" she said.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of pedicab drivers from West and Central Java came
\nhere soon after Governor Sutiyoso gave his permission for the
\ndrivers to operate in the capital.<\/p>\n
Wardah said many of the drivers would move to operate in the
\ncity's outskirts, like Tangerang and Bekasi, to obey the
\nadministration's order. Others, however, have indicated they
\nwould stay and operate in some housing complexes in Jakarta.
\n(cst)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/becak-drivers-not-involved-in-riot-1447893297",
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