Migrant ditch diggers wait it out on street corners

Migrant ditch diggers wait it out on street corners

By Ida Indawati Khouw

JAKARTA (JP): Many people may not believe that seasonal ditch
diggers in the city could survive without a single penny in their
pockets.

Armed with hoes, baskets and crowbars, the migrant workers
usually gather at several street medians of Grogol area in West
Jakarta.

The location is famous among construction foremen in search of
cheap manual labor.

As of Saturday and Monday, no one had offered employment to
the workers, most of whom were from Brebes and Jepara regencies
in Central Java, although they had been awaiting work orders for
months and already used up all of their money.

But, they do not dare return to their hometowns.

In an apparent move to continue their life in the capital
during such a prolonged economic crisis, and in such trying
conditions, the workers have to rely on charity in order to
survive.

Years ago when construction projects were in abundance,
unskilled labor was in great demand. Ditch diggers could bring
home at least Rp 250,000 a month.

That was the reason why seasonal ditch digging in the capital
had been so popular with farmers of Brebes and Jepara regencies.
They could come to Jakarta and ply their trade when not engaged
in planting rice or harvesting their crops.

"We used to work here for a few months and then return home
during the planting and the harvest periods, so that we could
make use of the time," said Warso, a ditch digger from Brebes.

Foremen of construction projects used to search for large
numbers of diggers for various kinds of jobs, like digging wells
and foundations for buildings, or constructing fences, he said.

"But we have had bad luck lately as almost no one has offered
us work. It has become more and more difficult to find work,"
said the 50-year-old man.

He's been waiting for job orders for nearly two months,
hanging around Jl. Kyai Tapa, which is located at the edge of the
private Trisakti University campus in West Jakarta.

"I came here last March with Rp 25,000 in my pocket and three
pairs of shirts and trousers. Of course, my money was gone after
only a few days. And now I have to rely on the kindness of a food
vendor here who lets me have my daily meals at her kiosk on
condition that I pay her when I have money. My debt has already
risen to Rp 40,000.

"I have promised her (the kiosk owner) that I will pay all of
the debts right after I have the money," said the father of four
children.

Another digger Dulhamid of Jepara said he could barely find
the means to survive, but would not return home even though he
was broke.

"I will only go home when I have enough money," said the 60-
year-old man, who now has a cumulative debt of Rp 100,000 for his
meals.

Dulhamid, Warso and scores of their colleagues often find
themselves sitting under the trees in the shade in the polluted
area of Grogol from as early as 6 a.m. up till 4 p.m..

When asked why they did not travel around the city to find
jobs, he said that such efforts were useless.

"(Grogol) has become a well known place to search for seasonal
diggers. Besides, construction companies have their own workers
so it's difficult for us to get hired," he said.

Another digger, identified only as Tono, said that they only
chatted and did nothing at the area, and then returned to their
"homes" under the Grogol highway.

The area is "home" to about 80 seasonal diggers from Brebes,
who also share some of its sections with men from Jepara. They
have built a well and, at the end of the day, roll out mats on
which to sleep.

And they all rely on the charity of nearby food vendors for
their meals.