'Becak' drivers protest

'Becak' drivers protest

JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of becak (pedicab) drivers staged a
protest on Wednesday outside the office of the head of Kemayoran
district, Central Jakarta, demanding their confiscated vehicles
be returned.

They shouted their demand over 18 pedicabs which were seized
during a raid by local administration late on Tuesday.

The protesters complained that their fellow drivers, whose
pedicabs were seized, could not feed their families as they could
not make any money.

Police came to the site and fired warning shots to calm the
angry becak drivers.

Central Jakarta Police detective chief Comr. A.R. Yoyol said,
"No arrests were made as they dispersed after their
representatives met with officials from the Central Jakarta
mayoralty." (emf)