Fisherman fights against injustice<\/p>\n
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Fishermen from Muara Angke in North Jakarta agreed that Kajidin
\nwas born a leader.<\/p>\n
He is not a jawara, or the winner, a title that one earned if
\nhe or she was the champion of a duel. But violence is no longer a
\npopular solution in this community.<\/p>\n
Fellow fishermen elected Kajidin as chairman of the
\nTraditional Fishermen Union (SNT) last year, because he is the
\nmost outspoken, and he also has a broad knowledge. In turn,
\nKajidin has proven what he is really made of.<\/p>\n
It was Kajidin who led hundreds of fishermen to stand against
\nthe Jakarta administration's order to clear the banks of the Kali
\nAdem river where the fishing families had built their homes. The
\neviction, however, carried out on Oct. 22, forced hundreds from
\ntheir homes.<\/p>\n
He had taken the initiative to stage a string of rallies at
\nthe offices of the Pluit subdistrict administration, the
\nPenjaringan district, the North Jakarta municipality and even
\nGovernor Sutiyoso.<\/p>\n
The campaign has drawn the attention of two ministers: Rokhmin
\nDahuri, the Minister of Maritime and Fishery Affairs and
\nSoenarno, the Minister of Resettlement and Regional
\nInfrastructure. Both vowed new homes for the fishermen.<\/p>\n
When the excavators and the public order officers demolished
\nthe fishermen's huts, it was Kajidin who prevented the angry
\nyoung fisherman from resorting to violence, the last thing they
\nneeded.<\/p>\n
\"What we want is for the government or the city administration
\nto first provide alternative housing for SNT members before
\nevicting us. We don't need compensation money ... I'd rather die
\nof starvation than take the money,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Kajidin is the man who would never leave his friends behind.
\nOn the sad day of the eviction, the boat which Kajidin was in was
\nthe last to cross the river, making sure all the fishing families
\nwere safe on their boats, their new homes.<\/p>\n
Born to a fishing family on Sept. 22, 1965 in Indramayu, West
\nJava, Kajidin was called to the sea after finishing school during
\nhis fifth year at elementary school. He returned to fishing in
\nthe 1990s after realizing that entrepreneurship was definitely
\nnot his cup of tea.<\/p>\n
Kajidin and his parents moved to Muara Karang, North Jakarta,
\nin the 1970s. Seven years later, they were evicted. The family
\nmoved west to Muara Angke.<\/p>\n
In 1989, he married Roidah, a graduate of a teaching high
\nschool and the daughter of a successful fish trader. The couple
\nhas three daughters and a son.<\/p>\n
\"We once lived with my father-in-law's family at the military
\nhousing compound, as he was in the Army. But things were very
\ndifferent compared to the life of a fisherman on the borderless
\nsea, which is full of freedom,\" he said. \"So, I went back to
\nfishing.\"<\/p>\n
The fight against the evictions is not the first war against
\ninjustice for the fishermen, who mostly catch small crabs and
\nshrimps.<\/p>\n
\"Since 1991 we have been in a fight with trawlermen. The sea
\nwas being polluted and it made it difficult to have a good catch.
\nMoreover, using trawlers is an offense, according to a
\npresidential instruction because they destroy the sea's
\necosystem,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The traditional fishermen often helped the authorities catch
\nthe illegal trawlers. In the effort, one of them was killed when
\nhe was beaten by a boat crew. \"But we often heard that the owners
\nlater gave the authorities money to escape justice,\" Kajidi said.<\/p>\n
In the need for a solid organization, with the help of several
\nuniversity students, the fishermen established the SNT on Oct.
\n24, 2002, the anniversary of which could not be celebrated
\nbecause of the evictions.<\/p>\n
SNT has a dream of empowering the fishermen and providing a
\nbetter way of life.<\/p>\n
\"Fishermen are known for their poor finances as we depend on
\nhow good the catch is. If it's bad, we have to sell our
\nbelongings, or worse, plunge into debt,\" Kajidi said.<\/p>\n
He said SNT members did not use any profits to gamble, drink
\nor use the services of prostitutes. Their senior, Pak Tasman, has
\nreminded them of God's existence.<\/p>\n
The community built a small prayer house, the only hut left
\nintact after the evictions. It is now SNT's \"headquarters\".<\/p>\n
The government have offered the fishermen new housing at Song
\nbeach in Indramayu, where most originally came from.<\/p>\n
\"Although it's not easy for us to leave Jakarta after 30
\nyears, we think it's better to settle down somewhere. But, again,
\nwe are fishermen, special citizens whom I think should be
\nentrusted the privilege to go anywhere the wind is calling, to
\nthe good catch awaiting for us,\" Kajidi said.<\/p>\n
This way, he added, SNT will have many chapters, at least one
\nin Indramayu.<\/p>\n
But when he was asked whether he had given up fighting for
\njustice Kajidin quickly replied, \"No. I don't trust the
\ngovernment anymore, so we will never stop fighting.\"<\/p>\n
Indeed, being a fisherman one should never tire of struggling
\nagainst the strong wind.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fisherman-fights-against-injustice-1447893297",
"image": ""
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