Raids against traders to continue: Sutiyoso

Raids against traders to continue: Sutiyoso

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso said on Tuesday his
administration would continue to crack down on residents
violating existing rules in an effort to uphold the law and
restore public order.

"I want to remind Jakartans that this operation is intended
for our mutual benefit. We want residents to obey the
regulations," Sutiyoso said at City Hall following an earlier
incident that left 10 city officials injured after they were
beaten by angry street vendors in Senen, Central Jakarta.

"I also urge the public not to attack officials because
they're just doing their job as they are required to by
regulation," he said.

The incident was the second occurrence of violence following
the start of the public order operation by city officials. On
Feb. 29, mobs burned and damaged three official vehicles
following a crackdown against becak (pedicab) drivers in North
and West Jakarta.

Many people attribute the increasing amount of vendors on the
capital's sidewalks and streets to the delayed actions of city
officials, who responded only after vendors increased
dramatically.

Some blame the problem on corrupt officials, who regularly
collect money from vendors as a "security fee".

When asked, Sutiyoso defended himself and his staff by saying
that the accusation was totally baseless.

"On the contrary, the violence proves that the city
administration has taken stern actions toward the vendors," he
said.

He added that sometimes the vendors came in large numbers,
instead of increasing slowly.

Street vendors are along Jakarta's streets and main
thoroughfares, such as Jl. Sudirman, Jl. MH Thamrin and Jl. HR
Rasuna Said. Vendors usually pack the sidewalks and streets
located near bus terminals and popular markets, such as at Tanah
Abang, Jatinegara, Glodok and Palmerah.

They are also found on pedestrian overpasses across the city.

Their presence leads to chronic traffic congestion as streets
become easily clogged. Pedestrians are endangered as they must
walk along busy roads because sidewalks are taken up with vendors
and their carts.

The goods on offer vary, but they can include nail clippers,
pirated VCDs, dictionaries, toys, food, drinks, newspapers and
magazines.

Some vendors sell their merchandise on a piece of cloth. Many
present their items for sale in fold-up wooden boxes, resembling
a briefcase. Both types of display can help vendors gather their
articles quickly if there is a crackdown.

Other vendors, particularly those selling food and drink,
usually use carts, and provide tables and benches for their
customers. They are the easiest target for Public Order officials
since they can not easily escape.

After the incident on Tuesday morning, local authorities held
a meeting with the Pasar Senen street vendors to find a win-win
solution for the problem.

However, a solution could not be reached between the
authorities and the 175 traders who rejected an invitation to
move their business to an available space at a nearby building.

The vendors said the offered space at Blok VI of Pasar Senen
shopping center was not an effective area to sell from as it
faces the back of the building and misses all the passersby.

More importantly, the area is dirty and has been used by many
vendors to dump garbage or store their stock, Nainggolan, a
representative of the traders, said.

Separately, City Council speaker Edy Waluyo supported the city
administration's efforts to organize the street vendors but
reminded Sutiyoso and his staff to be more humane in upholding
public order. (nvn/06)