Learning from Tanah Abang

The riot which broke out near the Tanah Abang market in Jakarta on Monday is yet another reminder of how easy it is for festering discontent among groups of people living on the fringes of society to erupt into violence. But while there is a general truth in this statement, it is particularly valid in the case of groups of people who are by their very nature prone to being harassed -- such as urban slum dwellers or street vendors, whose very presence in the city runs against all standards of cleanliness and orderliness which is the aim of every good city planner and administrator.

Unfortunately, the realities of life in a developing country such as ours often make compromises necessary. Try as they may, it seems there is no way that city administrators can slow down the tide of urbanization, much less stop it. On the contrary, experts foresee that in decades to come more and more people will be abandoning rural areas to live in the cities. As the tide continues unabated, what is generally known as the informal sector -- that of people living and working without formal wages and without government control or supervision -- is bound to bloom. In the foreseeable future, street vendors and slums will probably remain part and parcel of urban life in the developing world.

Still, nobody in his right mind would dispute the need for our city officials to try and put at least some semblance of order into our cities. Roads have to be cleared of clutter and obstacles so cars and other road users can pass unobstructed. Residential neighborhoods have to be kept clean and safe. Hence the city's efforts to put order in the operating of the informal sector is in principle acceptable and even necessary. What is objectionable is the inhumane manner in which those efforts are up often carried out, particularly by field officers.

Reports of slums being burned down and vendors being chased off the streets, their stalls and merchandise impounded or destroyed, still regularly fill our newspapers. Worse, money is allegedly extorted from street vendors by unscrupulous officers, referred to in official jargon as oknum to indicate that they are not part of the system. Reports of maltreatment continue to surface. Yet, the state agrees that the informal sector provides a valuable contribution to our economy. Apart from providing millions of people with a living without being a burden to the government or anybody else, the informal sector absorbs a good deal of labor and thus provides a safety valve for our developing society.

Whether or not a plot by some sinister individual or individuals exists, as some government officials seem to believe, the lesson which the Tanah Abang incident teaches us is that there must be many among the underprivileged whose frustrations have grown so much that it only takes the smallest spark to flare into violence. For our part we believe that finding the root of the problem and providing the necessary safety valves is far more important than looking for scapegoats.

For the city administration, we are afraid, the choice is not an easy one. To a considerable extent the informal sector remains a valuable part of our economy and its existence must be safeguarded. On the other hand order must also be maintained. We hope a middle-of-the-road solution can be found to achieve a happy balance.