400 vendors ask for trading space

TANGERANG: Some 400 street vendors from Pasar Anyer, the main market in the Tangerang mayoralty, staged a rally at the mayor's office on Monday, demanding the municipal administration to provide them space for trading.

"We want to talk to Mayor M. Thamrin because his subordinates failed to accommodate our aspirations," one of the vendors, Ujang Tanjung, said.

He said street vendors at Pasar Anyer could not trade peacefully since the municipal public order officers, who frequently raided them, always seized their merchandise and kept all of it without compensation.

"If the officers disturb vendors, how can we live and feed our families. Did we commit some crime? No, we just want space to do our business," said another vendor, Yusnir.

The vendors arrived at the office at about 9 a.m. after they marched defiantly from Pasar Anyer, a kilometer away.

Dozens of police officers, who were equipped with tear gas guns, later arrived at the office around noon to control the enraged vendors. --JP