Kalijodo to become a green area

JAKARTA (JP): The city plans to turn the Kalijodo red-light district in Penjaringan, North Jakarta, into a green area following a fire there on Nov. 2, said an officer.

As part of the plan, the local authorities have been instructed to prevent the reestablishment of brothels in the area, which was home to about 600 sex workers for many years, said deputy governor of administrative affairs, Abdul Kahfi, Thursday.

"The area will be cleared soon and developed based on its original plan as a green area, which is badly needed by the city," he said.

According to Kahfi, misuse of the area was a public "disaster".

He did not elaborate.

The Kalijodo red-light district was razed by fire Sunday evening. Three hundred and twenty buildings, a car and five motorcycles went up in flames.

The cause of the fire is under local police investigation, but some residents believe it originated in a small bar.

Kahfi said the municipality had no plan to relocate the prostitutes to other red-light districts in the city.

"They will have only three choices: join the government- sponsored transmigration program, change their profession or return to their respective hometowns," he said. (ind)