Learning from Tanah Abang<\/p>\n
The riot which broke out near the Tanah Abang market in
\nJakarta on Monday is yet another reminder of how easy it is for
\nfestering discontent among groups of people living on the fringes
\nof society to erupt into violence. But while there is a general
\ntruth in this statement, it is particularly valid in the case of
\ngroups of people who are by their very nature prone to being
\nharassed -- such as urban slum dwellers or street vendors, whose
\nvery presence in the city runs against all standards of
\ncleanliness and orderliness which is the aim of every good city
\nplanner and administrator.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the realities of life in a developing country
\nsuch as ours often make compromises necessary. Try as they may,
\nit seems there is no way that city administrators can slow down
\nthe tide of urbanization, much less stop it. On the contrary,
\nexperts foresee that in decades to come more and more people will
\nbe abandoning rural areas to live in the cities. As the tide
\ncontinues unabated, what is generally known as the informal
\nsector -- that of people living and working without formal wages
\nand without government control or supervision -- is bound to
\nbloom. In the foreseeable future, street vendors and slums will
\nprobably remain part and parcel of urban life in the developing
\nworld.<\/p>\n
Still, nobody in his right mind would dispute the need for our
\ncity officials to try and put at least some semblance of order
\ninto our cities. Roads have to be cleared of clutter and
\nobstacles so cars and other road users can pass unobstructed.
\nResidential neighborhoods have to be kept clean and safe. Hence
\nthe city's efforts to put order in the operating of the informal
\nsector is in principle acceptable and even necessary. What is
\nobjectionable is the inhumane manner in which those efforts are
\nup often carried out, particularly by field officers.<\/p>\n
Reports of slums being burned down and vendors being chased
\noff the streets, their stalls and merchandise impounded or
\ndestroyed, still regularly fill our newspapers. Worse, money is
\nallegedly extorted from street vendors by unscrupulous officers,
\nreferred to in official jargon as oknum to indicate that they are
\nnot part of the system. Reports of maltreatment continue to
\nsurface. Yet, the state agrees that the informal sector provides
\na valuable contribution to our economy. Apart from providing
\nmillions of people with a living without being a burden to the
\ngovernment or anybody else, the informal sector absorbs a good
\ndeal of labor and thus provides a safety valve for our developing
\nsociety.<\/p>\n
Whether or not a plot by some sinister individual or
\nindividuals exists, as some government officials seem to believe,
\nthe lesson which the Tanah Abang incident teaches us is that
\nthere must be many among the underprivileged whose frustrations
\nhave grown so much that it only takes the smallest spark to flare
\ninto violence. For our part we believe that finding the root of
\nthe problem and providing the necessary safety valves is far more
\nimportant than looking for scapegoats.<\/p>\n
For the city administration, we are afraid, the choice is not
\nan easy one. To a considerable extent the informal sector remains
\na valuable part of our economy and its existence must be
\nsafeguarded. On the other hand order must also be maintained. We
\nhope a middle-of-the-road solution can be found to achieve a
\nhappy balance.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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