'Officers could have spoken with residents'

The city has been busily evicting squatters from land belonging to the city and private companies. This campaign has been violent at times, with evicted squatters clashing with public order and police officers. The Jakarta Post discussed the issue with residents.

Trisno, 50, is a beverage vendor in Blok M, South Jakarta. He lives in Kebayoran, South Jakarta, with his wife and daughter:

I object to the public order officers, who often employ violence during the evictions. Why do they have to treat fellow residents like that?

The officers should sit down and talk with "illegal" residents or sidewalk vendors.

At least five months in advance, the city or municipality administrations concerned, particularly the public order officers, can meet with the residents and discuss the matter.

The fact that the evictions occur without notice has resulted in violence by both sides. The people being evicted are enraged by the sudden evictions and fight back. Then the public order officers use this as an excuse to crack down on the residents.

I understand that the officers are only doing their jobs but the violence could be minimized by talking.

The officers must realize that when they retire they will be regular citizens. And they would definitely be furious if people treated them as rudely as they treated people in the past.

Salju, not his real name, 28, is a sidewalk vendor in Jatinegara, East Jakarta. He lives nearby with his wife and daughter:

Being a sidewalk vendor means dealing with the public order officers who often raid us. I knew that the day I decided to get into this business.

Many times the officers evict sidewalk vendors to punish us. I know I'm violating the city bylaw that prohibits vendors from working on the streets, but times are tough.

I have no choice but deal with the officers because otherwise my family would starve.

So far we have managed to minimize the clashes by regularly bribing the public order officers and the thugs who control the area.

I object to the use of violence by the officers during raids. They could be more compassionate when they evict us.

Mulyono, not his real name, 30, is a sidewalk vendor on Jl. Thamrin in Central Jakarta. He lives in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, with his family:

I wish the public order officers would stop using violence whenever they evict someone.

They are like us, just trying to make some money to survive. Sometimes they look arrogant, in their uniforms and bullying the vendors and squatters.

I have been raided several times and the officers took my cart and my fruits. Sometimes they extort cigarette money. Or they just eat my fruit without bothering to pay.

I wish they could be more civil to us. After all, we're humans too.

-- Leo Wahyudi S.