Raids against street vendors receives sharp criticism
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.