Street traders want expulsion put off until Idul Fitri<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A group of sidewalk vendors operating along Jl.
\nMatraman Raya in Jatinegara, East Jakarta, went to the office of
\nthe National Commission on Human Rights yesterday to complain
\nabout the city administration's plan to expel them from the area.<\/p>\n
The delegation consisting of 63 vendors was led by Masrizal,
\ncoordinator of the Jatinegara sidewalk traders. They were
\nreceived by the Commission's secretary general Baharuddin Lopa.<\/p>\n
Masrizal told Lopa that the head of the Jatinegara
\nsubdistrict, acting on behalf of the East Jakarta mayor, had
\ninstructed them to stop their trading activities along the street
\nas of Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Masrizal said that they have to leave the areas they have
\noccupied for almost 17 years because the mayoralty plans to put
\npot plants along the sidewalks.<\/p>\n
He said the local traders realized that they could not
\nindefinitely run businesses on the sidewalks in the area and must
\nsomeday look for other locations. Moreover, a newly established
\ndepartment store will start business soon, he added.<\/p>\n
The traders, Masrizal said, requested permission to continue
\ntrading until the upcoming Idul Fitri but the city authorities
\nrejected their plea.<\/p>\n
Masrizal claimed that all sidewalk traders, who have for a
\nlong time sold sundries, food, and electronic equipment along the
\nstreet, are obedient, saying that they each always pays a
\nsecurity levy of Rp 4,500 (US$2) per week in addition to other
\nlevies ranging from Rp 5,000 to Rp 200,000.<\/p>\n
He said they had spent a lot of money for the procurement of
\nmerchandise to be sold in the annual sales boom ahead of the Idul
\nFitri festivity.<\/p>\n
\"We'll lose the money if we are not allowed to do business up
\nto Idul Fitri,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In response to the complaint, Lopa will urge the East Jakarta
\nmayor to practice humanism in settling the dispute with the
\nsidewalk traders along Jl. Matraman Raya.<\/p>\n
Lopa said the East Jakarta administration should not only
\nconsider the beauty aspects of the city.<\/p>\n
\"The East Jakarta administration must also provide a
\nsubstitute location for the sidewalk traders to continue their
\nbusinesses instead of just sweeping the traders aside,\" he said,
\nwhile reading the rights commission's letter to the East Jakarta
\nmayor.<\/p>\n
He said that the city administration must at least let the
\nvenders continue trading until the Idul Fitri celebration.<\/p>\n
\"The East Jakarta administration must equally put forward its
\ndevelopment program as well as prosperity of small scale business
\ntraders,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Lopa guaranteed that the rights commission will take serious
\naction regarding the matter. He ordered one of his staff members
\nto prepare a letter and to immediately deliver it to East Jakarta
\nauthorities.<\/p>\n
However, he reminded the traders that the commission could
\nonly deliver the letter and advise the authorities and nothing
\nmore.<\/p>\n
He also asked the traders to remain calm and avoid perilous
\nactions that would cause all parties, including the traders,
\ndifficulties. (imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/street-traders-want-expulsion-put-off-until-idul-fitri-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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