Vendors upset over expulsion for APEC<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Street vendors mounted a protest yesterday
\nagainst the city administration's drive to expel them from main
\nroads during the run-up to the upcoming Asia Pacific Economic
\nCooperation (APEC) meeting next month.<\/p>\n
Vendors from the Jakarta Street Vendors Society (PPAJ) said in
\na statement made available to The Jakarta Post that they strongly
\nreject the administration's order that prohibits them from doing
\nbusiness along main streets for the fifteen days before and after
\nthe summit meeting on Nov. 15.<\/p>\n
\"Selling food and drink and other goods along the streets is
\nour only source of income. How can we support our families if the
\nadministration prevents us from doing our jobs?\" asked Sukirno,
\nhead of the PPAJ, currently with 348 members.<\/p>\n
The city administration is increasing the number of law
\nenforcement officers deployed to sweep street vendors from main
\nroads with the aim of keeping order and security in the city
\nduring the meeting.<\/p>\n
The main goal of the operation is to step up security
\nprecautions in potentially dangerous areas in the city.<\/p>\n
In the first, from Oct. 1 and 20, the officers persuaded
\nstreet vendors not to sell their goods on the streets. During the
\nsecond phase, which started on Oct. 21, the officers started
\narresting stubborn street vendors who persisted in their efforts
\nto trade on the streets.<\/p>\n
Sukirno urged the city administration to pay more attention to
\ntheir condition.<\/p>\n
\"So far we have become the targets of the city
\nadministration's various operations. We have frequently been
\nchased out, arrested and even clobbered by the law enforcement
\nofficers without being given alternatives,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"We do not know what the APEC meeting is for. We have only
\nbeen told that many foreign guests are coming here for the
\nmeeting,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, should the city administration sacrifice our fate
\njust for the sake of supporting the meeting? Sukirno asked, who
\nalso urged members of the House of Representatives to help solve
\nthe problem.<\/p>\n
He added, \"we just have one demand: Let us continue trading
\nalong the streets so we can support our families and our
\nchildren.\" (hhr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/vendors-upset-over-expulsion-for-apec-1447893297",
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