Kalijodo to become a green area

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)