Hoodlums blamed for violent clash in Tanah Abang

JAKARTA (JP): Officials blamed hoodlums for the violent clash between vendors and public order officials yesterday at the Tanah Abang market, while vendors expressed anger at public order officials.

Central Jakarta Mayor Abdul Kahfi and city public order official Toha Reno said the clash, which culminated in a district office being burned down by around 3,000 people, was probably incited by hoodlums.

Kahfi said the parties behind the riots would be investigated.

Toha blamed hoodlums, as vendors were usually "obedient".

He said public order officials had just been "doing their job" by preventing vendors from taking up too much space reserved for pedestrians and traffic.

"Unfortunately some vendors think they are allowed to operate anywhere because they have paid fees to certain groups," Toha said. He declined to elaborate.

Two gangs were engaged in a battle over territory in the same area on Jan. 9. The hoodlums lived on money collected from hundreds of roadside vendors.

A Tanah Abang vendor insisted they had not been influenced by any party. He said they had been angry at officials who had hit a vendor and confiscated their wares.

"Our action has nothing to do with hoodlums," Ronald, a garment vendor, said.

"We already pay those public order officials Rp 500 to Rp 1,500 every day," he said.

Vendors were charged between Rp 200,000 and Rp 300,000 to rent space during Ramadhan.

Vendors said the clash at the market's Block F area erupted after public order officials hit a vendor in a routine operation.

City Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso said yesterday the roadside vendors had been enraged by rumors a vendor had been killed during a raid some days before.

Sutiyoso denied the rumors.

Mayor Abdul Kahfi said he had not received reports of the accident. "But if officials were over reacting, they will be punished," Kahfi said.

The city's public order office reported the clash started after officials confiscated wares from vendors along the sidewalk. Officials had seized a vendor, identified as Ujang.

Other vendors who witnessed the incident were enraged and tried to attack officials. They failed but damaged seven public order office cars and set one of them alight before proceeding to the district head's office.

Tanah Abang is one of a few market areas where the city has provided extra space for sidewalk vendors during Ramadhan.

This is an annual policy but the spaces are not free.

Councilor Hasan Dasy said the clash might have happened because vendors felt they had "not been treated properly by officials".

Earlier, after a visit to a South Jakarta market, councilors had rebuked city market authority PD Pasar Jaya for turning a blind eye to the illegal levies vendors had to pay besides rent. They said it was an annual practice Pasar Jaya should have anticipated.

Despite levies and expensive rent, hundreds of vendors had occupied space in Tanah Abang weeks before the market company announced space prices. (ste/jun)