Fewer migrants enter city after holiday<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
With the city doing everything it can to make unskilled migrants
\nfeel unwelcome, the number of migrants arriving in Jakarta
\nfollowing the Idul Fitri has continued to decline for the last
\nfour years.<\/p>\n
City Population and Civil Registration Agency head Chair Abdul
\nKadir said about 180,000 migrants had entered the city as of two
\nweeks after Idul Fitri, the peak of the annual post-holiday
\ninflux of migrants. At the same time last year the number of
\nmigrants arriving in Jakarta was 190,000.<\/p>\n
These figure are obtained from the difference in the number of
\npeople who leave town prior to Idul Fitri and the number of
\npeople who return to Jakarta after the holiday.<\/p>\n
Though the administration claims these numbers are official,
\nmany critics question the data, asking, for example, how
\nauthorities determine whether the people arriving in Jakarta
\nafter the holiday are job-seeking migrants or simply temporary
\nvisitors to the city.<\/p>\n
Governor Sutiyoso has repeatedly called on residents returning
\nto their hometowns for Idul Fitri not to bring back relatives or
\nfriends when they return to the already-crowded capital.<\/p>\n
The governor has blamed the migrants for many of the city's
\nurban headaches, including housing shortages, unemployment and
\nflooding.<\/p>\n
Though fewer migrants have entered the city looking for work,
\nthe administration has said it will go ahead with house-to-house
\nraids targeting migrants who cannot produce documents showing
\nthey have a permanent job and residence.<\/p>\n
The operation will be launched on Nov. 24 and Nov. 25.<\/p>\n
\"Every municipality will deploy 60 officers from different
\ninstitutions, including the immigration office, public order
\nagency, military, prosecutor's office, police and district court
\njudges,\" Kadir said.<\/p>\n
Rented homes and rooms will be among the targets of the
\noperation, particularly in areas like Jati Pulo in West Jakarta,
\nKelapa Gading Barat in North Jakarta, Cipinang Melayu in East
\nJakarta and Kalibata in South Jakarta, which are known for large
\nmigrant populations because of their proximity to office and
\nindustrial complexes.<\/p>\n
People rounded up during the operation will be tried
\nimmediately at the scene for violating the population regulation.<\/p>\n
Bylaw No. 4\/2004 on population and civil registration requires
\nnew migrants to register with the population agency no later than
\n14 days after their arrival in the city. The same bylaw also
\nstipulates that new migrants who are above the age of 17, or who
\nare already married, must obtain a visitor's identity card (KIP).
\nThey are also required to show documents certifying that they
\nhave permanent employment and a permanent residence in the city.<\/p>\n
Those who violate the bylaw face a maximum sentence of three
\nmonths in prison or a Rp 5 million fine. In reality, however,
\nviolators are generally fined between Rp 25,000 and Rp 50,000.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso has also instructed mayors in the five municipalities
\nin the capital to use the operation to target terrorist suspects.<\/p>\n
Number of people leaving and entering the capital around Idul
\nFitri<\/p>\n
Year Exodus Influx Difference<\/p>\n
2002 2,643,273 2,874,801 231,528<\/p>\n
2003 2,816,384 3,021,214 204,830<\/p>\n
2004 2,213,812 2,404,168 190,356<\/p>\n
2005 2,200,000 2,380,000 180,000<\/p>\n
Source: City Population and Civil Registration Agency<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fewer-migrants-enter-city-after-holiday-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }