President urged to temporarily stop raids on pedicabs

President urged to temporarily stop raids on pedicabs

JAKARTA (JP): Some 100 becak pedicab drivers staged a protest
in front of the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta on Monday,
demanding President Abdurrahman Wahid order the city
administration to temporarily halt raids on pedicabs while
awaiting the verdict of a lawsuit filed by the drivers earlier
this month.

The drivers arrived at the scene at around 9 a.m, escorted by
activists from the Urban Poor Consortium (UPC). Some drivers
aired speeches, condemning the city administration's policy of
prohibiting pedicabs from operating in the city.

Edi Saidi, the coordinator of the protest, accused Governor
Sutiyoso of flouting the law by continuing with his policy of
establishing a pedicab-free Jakarta.

"The governor is arrogant. The drivers' lawsuit against him is
being examined by the Central Jakarta District Court. So,
lawfully he is prohibited from conducting raids and seizing
pedicabs," Edi, also a UPC activist, said.

He was referring to a court tradition stating that during
legal proceedings, goods belonging to any of the parties cannot
be executed or seized until a judge has announced a verdict.

The pedicab drivers filed a class action at the district court
on Feb. 17, demanding the court stop the governor's policy which
prohibits pedicab drivers from operating in the city.

The lawsuit was filed by 130 pedicab drivers, who represent
some 6,000 pedicab drivers in the lawsuit.

The court is scheduled to hold the initial hearing of the case
in the near future.

Edi said the governor had violated a universally accepted
legal principle.

"The city administration seized seven pedicabs in Semper,
North Jakarta, and four pedicabs in Pulo Gadung, East Jakarta, a
few days ago," he said.

The activist demanded the President halt the administration's
move to cleanse the city of pedicabs.

"If the President is not ready to deal with our demand, we
will stay here until he does," he said.

Dozens of police personnel, equipped with only rattan sticks,
safeguarded the protest. The protest was carried out in a
peaceful manner.

Pedicab driver Suyadi said he had witnessed abuses in the
policy as carried out by the administration.

"I saw a city administration staffer selling two pedicab
wheels to a vegetable vendor from a pedicab previously seized in
a raid," Suyadi, a resident of Cengkareng, West Jakarta, said.

Wardah Hafidz, the UPC Coordinator, and two other pedicab
drivers tried to meet the President, but a palace staffer
prevented them from doing so.

"The President can't hold a dialog with the pedicab drivers,
since his schedule is very tight," the staffer said as quoted by
Wardah. Until 8 p.m., the pedicab drivers were still in front of
the palace.

"We will stay here until the President receives us," Wardah
told The Jakarta Post. (asa)