'Council should prevent evictions'<\/p>\n
The installment of new Jakarta councillors, slated for the first
\nweek of October, may be canceled as acting speaker Dani Anwar of
\nthe Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) refuses to sign the result of
\nthe Sept. 17 speakership election. His refusal is in protest over
\nreported money politics in the election. Ahmad Heriyawan of the
\nPKS was defeated by Golkar Party candidate Ade Surapriatna. The
\nJakarta Post asked some residents what they expected of the new
\ncouncil members.<\/p>\n
Ribowo, 36, owns a cigarette kiosk on Jl. Perdatam, South
\nJakarta. He temporarily lives in the kiosk:<\/p>\n
I am originally from Central Java, but I'm trying to earn a
\nliving here. You can call me an alien, because the Jakarta
\nadministration doesn't recognize me as a human being. I was
\nchased and beaten during my first years in the capital as a
\nstreet vendor.<\/p>\n
It's not easy to become a resident of Jakarta -- too much
\nmoney involved.<\/p>\n
Although I'm not yet a resident, I know I have the right to
\nlive anywhere in this country, and that the ID card issued by my
\nhometown administration should be recognized by all regional
\nadministrations.<\/p>\n
I think this particular issue should be seriously addressed by
\nthe new councillors. We all have the right to make a living and
\nto protection from being relegated to a marginal position within
\nour own country.<\/p>\n
Yarmanto, 30, is a street-side chicken noodle soup vendor in
\nGrogol, West Jakarta. He lives nearby in a rented house with his
\nfriends:<\/p>\n
I would just like to be able to make a living here in Jakarta
\npeacefully, so I hope the new city council members can help us
\nout in doing that, such as preventing crimes, evictions and so
\non.<\/p>\n
Street-side vendors like me are particularly worried about
\nbeing evicted by public order officers. I'm also worried that
\nI'll be evicted one day from the house I'm living in.<\/p>\n
If we don't have a place to stay or work, how can we make a
\ndecent living?<\/p>\n
And, I think city council members should be able to do that,
\nbecause aren't they supposed to be representatives of the people,
\nand isn't that part of their job?<\/p>\n
Even if they cannot prevent evictions, they should at least
\nurge the administration to provide proper housing for the evicted
\nand places for street-side vendors.<\/p>\n
What else? Just the usual, I guess. Don't be corrupt, don't
\nget involved in collusion and nepotism.<\/p>\n
--The Jakarta Post<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/council-should-prevent-evictions-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }