Sutiyoso gives go-ahead to vendor, squatter evictions<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Ignoring criticism from all sides, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said
\non Monday he would go ahead with his policy of evicting street
\nvendors and squatters.<\/p>\n
The governor said the eviction policy was part of his
\nadministration's efforts to enforce the law and maintain security
\nand order, to allow Jakarta to compete with other world capitals.<\/p>\n
\"They violate the law by selling their goods on the street or
\nby illegally occupying land. It is the task of the governor to
\nmaintain security and order in the city and to make the city more
\ncompetitive,\" Sutiyoso said.<\/p>\n
The governor was speaking during impromptu visits to a number
\nof offices on Monday to check that civil servants had reported
\nback to work after the long Idul Fitri holiday.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta administration has been widely criticized for its
\nfailure to provide any solution to the problem of street vendors
\nand squatters other than eviction.<\/p>\n
Officials have also been criticized for allowing squatters and
\nstreet vendors settle in and take over areas of the city in the
\nfirst place.<\/p>\n
Criticism of the eviction policy as inhumane has come from no
\nless than President Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Prior to the holy month of Ramadhan, several rights bodies
\nurged the administration to put in place a 180-day moratorium on
\nevictions. This was not done, with city officials beginning a
\nfresh round of eviction on Nov. 24, the eve of Idul Fitri.<\/p>\n
On Nov. 25 and Nov. 27, thousands of vendors on Jl. Asia-
\nAfrika in Central Jakarta and at Blok M, Pondok Labu, Mampang,
\nPasar Minggu and Kebayoran Lama were evicted.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso accused critics of his policy of trying to curry
\nfavor with the public before next year's general election.<\/p>\n
Earlier, thousands of squatters were left homeless when public
\norder officers, assisted by police officers, destroyed their
\nhomes in Muara Angke in North Jakarta, Cengkareng Timur, Tegal
\nAlur and Tanjung Duren Selatan in West Jakarta, and in Cipinang
\nMuara in East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso did not say which squatters were next for eviction,
\nbut public order offices have issued warnings to residents in
\nUtan Panjang and Kebon Kosong in Central Jakarta, Kayuputih and
\nCipinang Besar Selatan in East Jakarta, Rawabadak and Semper
\nTimur in North Jakarta, and Bukitduri in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Regarding the eviction of street vendors, the governor said
\npublic order officers were only closing down those street vendors
\nwho refused to relocate to areas specially set aside for them by
\nthe administration.<\/p>\n
The vendors say that the locations provided by the
\nadministration are poorly located and have little chance of
\nattracting customers.<\/p>\n
\"In that case, it would be better if the vendors returned to
\ntheir hometowns,\" Sutiyoso responded.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sutiyoso-gives-go-ahead-to-vendor-squatter-evictions-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}