Authorities vow to phase out red-light district
Authorities vow to phase out red-light district
JAKARTA (JP): The municipality will phase out the city's only
officially recognized red-light district in Kramat Tunggak, North
Jakarta, Deputy Governor for Welfare Affairs Djailani said
yesterday.
Prostitution will be eliminated gradually to prevent confusion
for those living in the district or surrounding areas, he said
without disclosing the steps to be taken.
"I can't tell you now because we're still discussing it. But
one thing is for sure, we will not eliminate it by moving the
complex to another area," Djailani said.
He refuted allegations that the city administration was still
considering relocating the complex, which was established in the
1970s, to previously proposed areas such as the Thousand Islands
and Rawa Malang, both in North Jakarta.
Plans to relocate the red-light district have been proposed
every so often since it was first brought up by city officials in
the 1980s.
"Relocating the complex is the same as approving of
prostitution, and we do not agree with that principle," he told
reporters after a closed meeting on the matter yesterday.
Djailani said the government would take the time to consider
all aspects before deciding on the best solution.
Ida Mawaddah Noor, city councilor of Commission E for welfare
affairs, sympathized with the administration's decision not to
relocate the brothel complex, saying it would just create other
problems.
"Ideally, because of unmanageable growth, it should be
relocated to another possible or suitable area for the sake of
the future of the children in Kramat Tunggak," Ida told The
Jakarta Post yesterday.
She said prostitution practices in Kramat Tunggak could
obstruct the upbringing of children in the area.
Ida said that dealing with prostitution was not easy because
it did not only affect the prostitutes, pimps and customers, but
also the public transportation drivers and even vendors who sold
drinks and snacks in the area.
Relocating the red-light district would not solve the problem
either, she added.
"It even tends to create new problems. This was proven right,
for example, when people in the proposed areas strongly rejected
the idea."
Ida said prostitutes should be encouraged to shift to other
professions by providing them with some practical training,
including cooking, sewing and beauty classes.
She admitted that the city administration had faced
difficulties in eliminating the practice.
"They don't have adequate funds to support the training and
rehabilitation programs. And it gets even worse because many of
the prostitutes have never taken the training seriously.
"It is difficult to help them if they do not cooperate," she
said. (cst)