Mayor, public order chief divided over vendors' fate<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Officials of West Jakarta municipality were divided on Tuesday
\nover the fate of hundreds of street vendors evicted from the
\nfront of Harco shopping center, Glodok.<\/p>\n
Mayor Sarimun Hadisaputra suggested that the vendors might be
\nallowed to operate only in the evening so that they would not
\ndisrupt traffic during office hours.<\/p>\n
But head of the municipality's public order office Arief
\nFadilah said the vendors should move to city-owned Pasar Pagi
\ntraditional market on Jl. Perniagaan.<\/p>\n
The public order officers bulldozed the area on Dec. 9, late
\nin the evening while vendors were still away on holiday.<\/p>\n
Hadisaputra admitted that the office had made a mistake by
\nallowing the vendors to occupy the spot along main thoroughfare
\nJl. Hayam Wuruk.<\/p>\n
However, he said, a decision had been taken to help the
\nvendors through the monetary crisis, which started to affect the
\ncountry's economic and social life in 1997.<\/p>\n
He rebuked the vendors over the sale of illegal VCDs, saying
\nthat they should be banned as they were both a violation against
\nintellectual rights and promoted pornography.<\/p>\n
"But also I should not prevent them from reopening their
\nbusinesses as it was a way of reducing the rising number of
\nunemployed," he told reporters at his office on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
About 550,000 Jakartans are currently jobless.<\/p>\n
He said the office faced a dilemma and was seeking a win-win
\nsolution that could satisfy both vendors and the community.<\/p>\n
"I've figured a solution: an 'open-closed' system, similar to
\nthat for street vendors who operate in front of Citraland mall,
\nwhereby the businesses open only in the evening so as not to
\ndisrupt the traffic during office hours," he added.<\/p>\n
The vendors staged a large rally on Monday. They complained
\nthat many had lost their merchandise. They also demanded the
\nmunicipality find them a solution.<\/p>\n
Even though the administration offered them a place at Pasar
\nPagi, the vendors did not appear happy as the place was not as
\nstrategic as that where they formerly ran their businesses.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Arief said that the vendors should move as the spot
\nalong Jl. Hayam Wuruk would be restored to its originally
\ndesignated use as open space.<\/p>\n
He also refuted irregularities in the eviction of street
\nvendors, arguing that they had violated a joint agreement signed
\nin 2000.<\/p>\n
The agreement states that the vendors pledged not to sell
\nillegal VCDs, including porn VCDs. It also states that the
\nvendors shall accept the consequences of any such violation.<\/p>\n
Arief also said the street vendors had failed to keep the spot
\nsafe, clean, tidy and organized, as well as not causing traffic
\ncongestion in the business district, as stated in the agreement.<\/p>\n
"The vendors ignored the agreement that also said that they
\ncould occupy the spot for one year. In compliance with Bylaw No.
\n11\/1988 on Public Order, we have to evict them. Advance notice is
\nnot necessary," he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
"Moreover, it has become the center of the sale of pirated
\ncassettes, video compact discs (VCDs) and even porn VCDs. We
\ndon't want to be permissive in the matter. Glodok is the
\nmunicipality's window and we have received many complaints from
\nthe community."<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mayor-public-order-chief-divided-over-vendors-fate-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}