Most Kramatjati shops remain closed

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Most stalls and shops at Kramat Jati market in East Jakarta remained closed on Tuesday following a clash between vendors and hoodlums in the area on Sunday evening.

"Only 25 percent of the vendors opened today," said Gunawan Wibisono, an official at the market.

More than 1,200 of the market's 1,715 vendors chose to close their stalls and shops due to tension at the market.

Market security personnel safeguarded the market. They were backed up by about 150 police and military personnel.

However, the police's field commander, First Insp. Djamin M, said the situation at the market had much improved compared to Monday.

On Monday, about 500 people wearing black uniforms and claiming to be ethnic Banten people blocked Jl. Raya Bogor in front of the market. Armed with sharp weapons, including bamboo spears and daggers, they looked for Madurese hoodlums who had reportedly imposed unofficial fees on vendors, including ethnic Banten vendors.

The illegal fees had been collected for years, but it was not until Sunday night that a clash between Madurese hoodlums and Banten vendors broke out.

The Banten vendors reportedly enlisted the help of friends from outside the area to help them attack the Madurese.

A truce was called during a talk between leaders from the two conflicting groups on Monday night.

Rumor has it that the leaders' call for a truce may fail to pacify those involved in the clash.

Vendors from Banten usually sell meat, bananas and chicken, while those from Madura traditionally sell fish.

Most vendors operating on Tuesday were vegetable and fruit sellers.

"We are braced for possible renewed fighting as we have no choice," said Wati, 22, a vendor.

"Our vegetables will be easily damaged if we keep them in storage for days," the vegetable vendor complained.

Wati said the incident had kept customers away.

Another vegetable vendor, Soenardi, 35, said that usually he took home Rp 50,000 in profit. But on Tuesday, business was very slow.

Following the incident, no hoodlums appeared at the market to collect fees from the vendors.

Soenardi, who was born in Surakarta, Central Java, revealed that before the incident, he had to pay seven fees a day. The fees varied, from Rp 200 to Rp 1,000, he said.

Meanwhile, another vendor, Jine Sembiring, 27, said the practice of charging unofficial fees was common at every market.

"You can check for yourself. Every market has fees, be they official or unofficial," said Jine who has had a stall here for more than five years.