North Jakarta mayor leads kiosk demolition

North Jakarta mayor leads kiosk demolition

JAKARTA (JP): North Jakarta Mayor Suprawito led an operation
yesterday to tear down 200 kiosks standing along a riverbank and
on a railway track in Pademangan.

Suprawito expressed anger that his warnings issued through the
subdistrict office were ignored by the traders.

"I want this place immediately cleared or I will tear the
kiosks down myself," Suprawito said, as quoted by the Antara news
agency.

The operation was aimed at clearing the riverbank and railway
of illegal buildings, which he said could also be used as
brothels and criminal hideouts.

The report did not say when the kiosks first appeared.

Procedures

The traders admitted they bypassed procedures in erecting
their kiosks without any permits.

"I just set it up myself like the others," said Tamrin, a
trader. He said the traders pay security and sanitation fees of
Rp 700 per day to a hoodlum called Joko.

A coconut seller, Talam, said the traders all know the train
schedules by heart and move their makeshift kiosks off the
railway line when trains are expected.

Tumini, a vegetable vendor, said accidents have never happened
to traders, but once a buyer was hit by a passing train.

The operation continued to an alley off Jl. Pademangan Timur
IV, where two other buildings were demolished for lacking
building permits. The owners had ignored initial notices telling
them to tear down the buildings themselves. (anr)