Alleged prostitutes nabbed in city antivice operation
Alleged prostitutes nabbed in city antivice operation
JAKARTA (JP): City social and public order agencies arrested
on Friday 29 alleged female prostitutes in a move to cleanse the
city of prostitution.
"This is only the beginning. We'll hold a month-long public
order operation in February," the head of the City Social
Agency's Social Welfare Rehabilitation section, Nur Prayitno, who
also leads the operation, told The Jakarta Post.
Another official, Waskito, described Friday's raid as a direct
sweep on prostitutes.
"Actually, I prefer the indirect operation method of Operasi
Rayu, where plainclothes officials pose as clients and lure
hookers to hotels," he told the Post.
"Instead of going to a hotel, we bring them to the city-run
Kedoya Rehabilitation Center in West Jakarta. This way, we know
for sure if the women are hookers," he said, while acknowledging
it takes a lot of money to bait the alleged prostitutes.
"We have to pay in cash whatever amount they ask for, or we
won't be able to catch them."
It is still unclear whether the February operation will use a
direct or indirect method.
Head of the City Public Order Office's Public Places section,
Toha Reno, said the option would rest on the situations in the
field.
"We'll most likely combine both methods," Toha said.
The city observed an outflow of streetwalkers soon after the
administration closed the Kramat Tunggak red-light district in
North Jakarta on Dec. 8.
The officials at the City Social Agency, however, denied that
there was any relation between the closure of Kramat Tunggak and
an increasing number of streetwalkers.
The social agency records show that there are more than 3,000
prostitutes operating outside Kramat Tunggak. No data was
available on the number of streetwalkers in Jakarta.
Officials started the operation at 11 p.m. and combed city
streets, especially in areas known to be popular hangouts.
They started with Jl. Gunung Sahari in Central Jakarta, Jl.
Hayam Wuruk in West Jakarta and the National Monument (Monas) in
Central Jakarta. They worked their way to Jl. M.H. Thamrin and
Jl. Blora in Central Jakarta, to Jl. Sahardjo, Jl. Jatinegara and
Jl. Pramuka in East Jakarta, before they ended the operation on
Jl. Suprapto in Central Jakarta.
Most women arrested, however, denied that they were
streetwalkers. Some cried as soon as they were put in a van
transporting them to the Kedoya Rehabilitation Center.
"Where are you taking me to, Pak? What will you do to me?" a
girl asked.
Others simply cried loudly.
"I was having dinner with my boyfriend. What am I going to do?
I'm going to have my son circumcised tomorrow," said a woman
identified as Yuli. She was arrested in the Jatinegara area of
East Jakarta.
She broke into tears when asked why she was out in the early
hours of Saturday instead of preparing for her son's event.
Meanwhile, alleged veteran prostitutes only laughed and cursed
their bad luck.
"Darn, I was just starting out when you picked me up," a woman
in her thirties, who was arrested for the second time, told the
officials. She was picked up in the Cempaka Putih area of Central
Jakarta.
Some were calm and confident that they were not doing anything
wrong.
"I was having dinner with my mother. I wanted to call my
friend when you caught me. Here, I am still holding the coins,"
said one, identified as Angel, to the officials.
She claimed that her relatives were high-ranking officers in
the military.
"I'm also a relative of a well-known general," she said.
Another girl, identified as Tria, seemed to know Angel very
well.
"We grew up together and are best friends. I know that Angel
wouldn't do such a thing," she said.
Tria later acknowledged that she asked between Rp 200,000 and
Rp 300,000 (US$27 to $40) for one-hour service.
"I only pick those with nice cars," she said.
Separately, a coordinator at the Kedoya Rehabilitation Center
interviewed on Sunday, Gozali, said five or seven of the arrested
women were not streetwalkers.
"We'll soon release them after their families finish with the
administrative work," he said on the phone, while acknowledging
it was difficult to get the real story out of them.
"It's also difficult to identify them either as hookers or
common residents unless the officials catch them soliciting."
"We can't easily believe whatever they say about themselves.
They often give contradictory statements to the officials asking
their identity," he said.
"It took a whole night and day to dig the truth out of them.
We have to be very patient here," he added. (05)
JAKARTA (JP): City social and public order agencies arrested
on Friday 29 alleged female prostitutes in a move to cleanse the
city of prostitution.
"This is only the beginning. We'll hold a month-long public
order operation in February," the head of the City Social
Agency's Social Welfare Rehabilitation section, Nur Prayitno, who
also leads the operation, told The Jakarta Post.
Another official, Waskito, described Friday's raid as a direct
sweep on prostitutes.
"Actually, I prefer the indirect operation method of Operasi
Rayu, where plainclothes officials pose as clients and lure
hookers to hotels," he told the Post.
"Instead of going to a hotel, we bring them to the city-run
Kedoya Rehabilitation Center in West Jakarta. This way, we know
for sure if the women are hookers," he said, while acknowledging
it takes a lot of money to bait the alleged prostitutes.
"We have to pay in cash whatever amount they ask for, or we
won't be able to catch them."
It is still unclear whether the February operation will use a
direct or indirect method.
Head of the City Public Order Office's Public Places section,
Toha Reno, said the option would rest on the situations in the
field.
"We'll most likely combine both methods," Toha said.
The city observed an outflow of streetwalkers soon after the
administration closed the Kramat Tunggak red-light district in
North Jakarta on Dec. 8.
The officials at the City Social Agency, however, denied that
there was any relation between the closure of Kramat Tunggak and
an increasing number of streetwalkers.
The social agency records show that there are more than 3,000
prostitutes operating outside Kramat Tunggak. No data was
available on the number of streetwalkers in Jakarta.
Officials started the operation at 11 p.m. and combed city
streets, especially in areas known to be popular hangouts.
They started with Jl. Gunung Sahari in Central Jakarta, Jl.
Hayam Wuruk in West Jakarta and the National Monument (Monas) in
Central Jakarta. They worked their way to Jl. M.H. Thamrin and
Jl. Blora in Central Jakarta, to Jl. Sahardjo, Jl. Jatinegara and
Jl. Pramuka in East Jakarta, before they ended the operation on
Jl. Suprapto in Central Jakarta.
Most women arrested, however, denied that they were
streetwalkers. Some cried as soon as they were put in a van
transporting them to the Kedoya Rehabilitation Center.
"Where are you taking me to, Pak? What will you do to me?" a
girl asked.
Others simply cried loudly.
"I was having dinner with my boyfriend. What am I going to do?
I'm going to have my son circumcised tomorrow," said a woman
identified as Yuli. She was arrested in the Jatinegara area of
East Jakarta.
She broke into tears when asked why she was out in the early
hours of Saturday instead of preparing for her son's event.
Meanwhile, alleged veteran prostitutes only laughed and cursed
their bad luck.
"Darn, I was just starting out when you picked me up," a woman
in her thirties, who was arrested for the second time, told the
officials. She was picked up in the Cempaka Putih area of Central
Jakarta.
Some were calm and confident that they were not doing anything
wrong.
"I was having dinner with my mother. I wanted to call my
friend when you caught me. Here, I am still holding the coins,"
said one, identified as Angel, to the officials.
She claimed that her relatives were high-ranking officers in
the military.
"I'm also a relative of a well-known general," she said.
Another girl, identified as Tria, seemed to know Angel very
well.
"We grew up together and are best friends. I know that Angel
wouldn't do such a thing," she said.
Tria later acknowledged that she asked between Rp 200,000 and
Rp 300,000 (US$27 to $40) for one-hour service.
"I only pick those with nice cars," she said.
Separately, a coordinator at the Kedoya Rehabilitation Center
interviewed on Sunday, Gozali, said five or seven of the arrested
women were not streetwalkers.
"We'll soon release them after their families finish with the
administrative work," he said on the phone, while acknowledging
it was difficult to get the real story out of them.
"It's also difficult to identify them either as hookers or
common residents unless the officials catch them soliciting."
"We can't easily believe whatever they say about themselves.
They often give contradictory statements to the officials asking
their identity," he said.
"It took a whole night and day to dig the truth out of them.
We have to be very patient here," he added. (05)