Raids continue despite criticism

Raids continue despite criticism

JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso pledged on Friday to continue
operations aimed at maintaining order in the city despite the
fact that they have not yet proved to be successful.

Sutiyoso argued that the city administration would continue
the operations because there had been a "significant improvement"
in public order.

Persuasive and humane approaches would be adopted in policing
the violations, the governor said in his speech at a ceremony
inaugurating new city administration officials.

Seventy-three city officials were inaugurated on Friday, with
30 officials remaining in the same posts they had held
previously.

"As we continue to control any type of violation, the city
administration officials must practice a humane and persuasive
approach," Sutiyoso said in his address.

The city public order officials have often been criticized for
using violence in conducting raids against becak (pedicab)
drivers, street vendors and others considered to be disturbing
public order.

Wardah Hafidz from the Urban Poor Consortium said the public
order officials are anything but persuasive and humane in their
operations.

"It's very common to have at least one becak driver with a
broken bone after a raid. They (the public order officials) don't
seem to know any other way than resorting to violence," Wardah
told The Jakarta Post.

The consortium's calls for negotiations and dialogue with the
city administration have fallen on deaf ears, Wardah added, with
no response received from the city administration yet.

In August, a violent riot followed a becak raid, during which
one civilian guard was killed.

Becak drivers and street vendors often protest against the
public order officials' brutality in raids, saying that they are
often beaten and abused.

As stipulated in City Bylaw 11/1988 on public order, becak and
sidewalk vendors are prohibited from operating in the city.

Becak drivers and street vendors complain that they would not
be able to provide for their families if the city administration
banned them without providing any kind of alternative for earning
a living.

"Can they offer any kind of solution? if we're not allowed in
that place, then where can we sell our merchandise?," said
Manumpang Batubara, a video compact disc (VCD) vendor on Jl.
Pinangsia in Central Jakarta last week at the City Council
office, where he and his friends were protesting a recent
raid. -- JP