Lampung kiosk owners prepares lawsuit

Lampung kiosk owners prepares lawsuit

The Jakarta Post, Bakauheni, Lampung

Vendors at the South Lampung port of Bakauheni, whose kiosks were
looted and burned down by angry villagers, has submitted lawsuits
following attacks jointly carried out by officials of the port
management (ASDP) and a group calling itself the United Dantar
Ethnic Group Youth Front (PPAMD).

The kiosk owners objected strongly to the violence and
suspected the attacks were closely related to plans to evict them
from the port.

However, there were still few details available on the
lawsuits.

Several traders admitted they were nonplused at the attacks
that took place on Saturday as they felt that they had not
breached any regulations or done anything wrong.

"We don't know what the port administration wants. Why do they
always chase after us while pickpockets and ticket scalpers
operate without hindrance at the port?" said a trader who
withheld his name.

"My children and I were fast asleep when suddenly we were
attacked and our kiosks destroyed. All we could think of at the
time was how to save ourselves," said 42-year-old Rohaida, a
street vendor.

PPAMD leader Zainal admitted that the Saturday attacks were
spontaneous and no other parties were involved.

"Nobody ordered or financed the arson attacks. Our primary
concern is the port, which now looks so shabby and dirty because
of the traders," Zainal exclaimed.

During the violence, which took place in the early hours of
Saturday, some 500 people demolished the kiosks and makeshift
tents used by traders. The angry group, comprising villagers from
eight villages in Panengahan district, later burned the kiosks
and tents.

Port chief Hasan Aldin said the port did not want to be held
responsible for the attack, giving the reason that the port
administration had to be strict over relocating the traders.

"It was spontaneous. None of us knew what would happen. We are
not responsible for what did happen and will not pay any
compensation for the damage," he stressed.

For so long, he said, the administration had been lenient with
the vendors, for the previous agreement stated that the traders
would be located at sites prepared by the administration but if
they were not allocated a site, they would still be allowed to
trade inside the port.

"We've had to tidy up their sites because the operations of
small-scale vendors (who do not have proper sites) are often
disruptive to port visitors," Hasan said.