Makassar evictees bar councillors

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Some 200 protesters, mostly women accompanied by their children, barred the gates of the municipal council here on Wednesday, to protest their evictions by the city administration.

Their move left at least 15 councillors and officials unable to go home, although office hours were over.

The protesters were all recently evicted -- either from their homes in the hamlets of Lette and Panambungan, Mariso district, or from their kiosks at Soekarno-Hatta seaport.

They said the council had ignored their demand for the dismissal of Makassar Mayor Ilham Arif Sirajuddin over the evictions. --JP