'Banning migrants is against human rights'

'Banning migrants is against human rights'

The Jakarta administration will check people entering the capital
after the Idul Fitri holiday, anticipating would-be job seekers.
The capital is about to close its doors to migrants, especially
the unskilled. The Jakarta Post asked some residents about their
opinion on the issue.

Ari Mohammad, 32, is an executive at a non-governmental
organization. He lives in Jati Waringin, East Jakarta:

I don't agree with the city administration prohibiting people
from entering Jakarta as a mechanism to curb population growth in
the city. No one can control people's movements. People have the
right to live anywhere in the country.

But I agree there should be population control so that Jakarta
is not overcrowded.

It, however, should be implemented through a reasonable
policy, like discouraging people from entering the city or
telling people that Jakarta is not a city of dreams if they have
no skills because they will not easily find work here.

I think, migrant people living in the city, should not
encourage their unskilled relatives to come to the city.

Joe Fernandez, 45, is a researcher working for the Institute
for Policy and Community Development Studies (IPCOS) in Kebayoran
Baru, South Jakarta. He lives in Depok:

The city administration should cooperate with its neighboring
cities to curb the population growth in the city.

As an example, the administration should encourage investors
of particular manufacturing products to invest here. As a
metropolitan city, Jakarta should focus its attention on
providing good public services.

It should be selective in accepting investors. With such a
policy, Jakarta would prompt less skilled workers to live outside
of Jakarta.

Although I agree that Jakarta should not be overcrowded, but I
strongly oppose any effort to prohibit people from entering the
city because such a policy is against human rights.

I believe that the city administration cannot solve its
population problem alone. It should share the problem with the
central government.

If the government cannot fairly distribute the result of
development to all regions, urbanization will still become a
problem to Jakarta and other big cities.

--The Jakarta Post