'Officers could have spoken with residents'<\/p>\n
The city has been busily evicting squatters from land belonging
\nto the city and private companies. This campaign has been violent
\nat times, with evicted squatters clashing with public order and
\npolice officers. The Jakarta Post discussed the issue with
\nresidents.<\/p>\n
Trisno, 50, is a beverage vendor in Blok M, South Jakarta. He
\nlives in Kebayoran, South Jakarta, with his wife and daughter:<\/p>\n
I object to the public order officers, who often employ
\nviolence during the evictions. Why do they have to treat fellow
\nresidents like that?<\/p>\n
The officers should sit down and talk with \"illegal\" residents
\nor sidewalk vendors.<\/p>\n
At least five months in advance, the city or municipality
\nadministrations concerned, particularly the public order
\nofficers, can meet with the residents and discuss the matter.<\/p>\n
The fact that the evictions occur without notice has resulted
\nin violence by both sides. The people being evicted are enraged
\nby the sudden evictions and fight back. Then the public order
\nofficers use this as an excuse to crack down on the residents.<\/p>\n
I understand that the officers are only doing their jobs but
\nthe violence could be minimized by talking.<\/p>\n
The officers must realize that when they retire they will be
\nregular citizens. And they would definitely be furious if people
\ntreated them as rudely as they treated people in the past.<\/p>\n
Salju, not his real name, 28, is a sidewalk vendor in
\nJatinegara, East Jakarta. He lives nearby with his wife and
\ndaughter:<\/p>\n
Being a sidewalk vendor means dealing with the public order
\nofficers who often raid us. I knew that the day I decided to get
\ninto this business.<\/p>\n
Many times the officers evict sidewalk vendors to punish us. I
\nknow I'm violating the city bylaw that prohibits vendors from
\nworking on the streets, but times are tough.<\/p>\n
I have no choice but deal with the officers because otherwise
\nmy family would starve.<\/p>\n
So far we have managed to minimize the clashes by regularly
\nbribing the public order officers and the thugs who control the
\narea.<\/p>\n
I object to the use of violence by the officers during raids.
\nThey could be more compassionate when they evict us.<\/p>\n
Mulyono, not his real name, 30, is a sidewalk vendor on Jl.
\nThamrin in Central Jakarta. He lives in Tanah Abang, Central
\nJakarta, with his family:<\/p>\n
I wish the public order officers would stop using violence
\nwhenever they evict someone.<\/p>\n
They are like us, just trying to make some money to survive.
\nSometimes they look arrogant, in their uniforms and bullying the
\nvendors and squatters.<\/p>\n
I have been raided several times and the officers took my cart
\nand my fruits. Sometimes they extort cigarette money. Or they
\njust eat my fruit without bothering to pay.<\/p>\n
I wish they could be more civil to us. After all, we're humans
\ntoo.<\/p>\n
-- Leo Wahyudi S.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/officers-could-have-spoken-with-residents-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }