Don't close Jakarta to migrants, say analysts
Don't close Jakarta to migrants, say analysts
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Governor Sutiyoso received sharp criticism from the public over
his plan to make Jakarta a closed city to poor migrants, as it
would be against the Constitution, and also could spark unrest,
according to a legal expert.
His move would be a violation of human rights, particularly on
freedom of movement, and the Constitution, which rules that all
citizens have the right jobs and a decent life, Tubagus Haryo
Karbianto of the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta), said
on Thursday.
He said that Sutiyoso's insistence to make Jakarta a closed
city confirmed the allegations that he always fled from
responsibility instead of trying to resolve problems.
"When he cannot resolve the problems of street vendors and
three-wheeled becak pedicabs, Sutiyoso expels them and does not
solve the problems by giving an alternative place for them to
work. It is typical of him," Tubagus added.
Separately, a demography and environment expert from the
University of Indonesia (UI) Budi Haryanto warned that if the
city leaders insisted on going ahead with their plans, it would
spark unrest and the administration would have to spend a lot of
energy to resolve it.
"I think if the city goes ahead with the plan, it will spark
protests from migrants and other people," Budi added.
He said the mobilization of human beings from remote areas to
big cities was a natural phenomenon, therefore any regulation
aimed at curbing human flows from remote area to cities would
never be effective.
Although there is a regulation aimed at curbing urban
overpopulation, it would never be successful if the real problem
was not addressed, he said.
"I do not see that such a regulation is applicable, as the
human movement follows a simple sugar and ant theory where the
people always seek better places to live," Budi told The Jakarta
Post.
Sutiyoso, on Wednesday, elaborated his plan to close the city
to poor migrants, saying anyone coming to Jakarta should have
sufficient money to live on, a job and a place to stay.
The City Administration is now preparing a draft of the bylaw
on population which is expected to curb the influx of migrants
from other provinces.
Sutiyoso introduced it as one of his policy priorities as the
first year of his second gubernatorial term after he was
reelected by the City Council on Sept. 11.
Budi, however, admitted that problems of urban overpopulation
should become a national debate as it was a result of the
national policy where the circulation of the state wealth and
development were still focused in Jakarta.
China is a good example of a country which managed to create
new industrial areas which could reduce the flow of rural poor to
big cities, he added.
The process in Indonesia, Budi added, could be curbed by
continuing its regional autonomy program by giving more shares of
wealth to the regions so that the region could experience faster
development.
According to Budi, based on the spirit of the Law on Regional
Autonomy No.22/1999, a regional administration in the country
receives some 28 percent of the revenue generated from the
region. While the regions are obliged to take care their affairs,
such as public welfare and job creation.
"The ideal share of the wealth is 50 percent for the region
and 50 percent for the central government. If it is implemented,
migration to cities could be curbed," Budi added.