Raids against street vendors receives sharp criticism

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Operations against street vendors, conducted by the Jakarta Public Order Office recently, have received sharp public criticism as the raids are considered to obstruct people's efforts to make a living, thus violating their right to seek employment.

"The operations spread fear among people who want to be self- employed. It violates human rights," Wardah Hafidz chairwoman of the Urban Poor Consortium, said in a statement on Monday.

Wardah said the use of violence, such as demolishing kiosks, tents and other property of the vendors during the operations was evidence of human rights' violations.

She viewed the Bylaw No. 8/1988 on public order which was used as the legal basis for the operations, as a violation of people's right to get a proper job and earn a living.

The operations started on the first day of Idul Fitri last week when dozens of temporary kiosks in Pasar Minggu and Kebayoran Baru, Central Jakarta, were seized by public order officers.

On Wednesday, the officers raided hundreds of street vendors along Jl. Hayam Wuruk, West Jakarta.

They demolished dozens of kiosks and tents of street vendors on busy roads in Kampung Melayu and Jatinegara areas, East Jakarta on Friday.

Vendors insisted on Monday that they would still display their merchandise on the roads, urging the city administration to provide a plot.

"It's our only means to earn a living. I have been working here for three years," said Sunardi, one of denim jeans vendors near Jatinegara railway, East Jakarta.

The resistance of the vendors is understandable since they pay daily fees to various officers, including to military, police and city administration officers.

Yet, the city administration denied that they obliged the vendors to make the payment.

Chief of the city's office for the management of social disturbances Raya Siahaan pledged on Monday that the administration would continue raids against more than 100,000 illegal vendors.

"They have violated the bylaw. We will continue the raids," Siahaan told reporters.

According to official data, the number of street vendors here reached more than 140,000 people, but in fact, numbers could reach over 500,000.

Some of the vendors are considered legal and are provided kiosks in traditional markets, such as in Tanah Abang market in Central Jakarta; but most have no legal status.