Riots and reform hammer flesh trade in Ujungpandang

Riots and reform hammer flesh trade in Ujungpandang

By Hasanuddin Hamid

UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): Prostitution here has been
on a downturn since September when the coastal town was hit by
anti-Chinese rioting.

Since then, the outlook of the city's prostitution industry
has been gloomy, especially with the success of the reform
movement in the country as many have jumped on the reform
bandwagon with a campaign to crush illicit businesses.

Moreover, prostitution has never been legalized.

The police often round up prostitutes and their clients at
bars, discotheques and massage parlors. At one such operation on
July 11, city police rounded up 42 prostitutes and their clients.

"I think this sort of operation is routine, so it is not
merely the monetary crisis which is causing the decrease of
clients coming here," said a pimp on Jl. Nusantara, the hub of
prostitution in Ujungpandang.

Ujungpandang Police chief Col. Jusuf Mangga Barani said
frequent sweeps were held because owners of pubs, discotheques
and massage parlors often misused their operating licenses by
providing prostitution services.

Prostitution in Ujungpandang is spread out in different
places, but the most well-known place is Jl. Nusantara, near
Makassar seaport.

At least 12 bars, discotheques and massage parlors are located
along the road, with a number of them suspected of providing
prostitution services.

Many of them were burned down during the rioting in September.
Some of them rebuilt their business from the wreckage.

Cut rates

Mami Doris, an operator of a bar and massage parlor there,
complained that her business turnover continued to decline with
the frequent police operations.

Despite offering "competitive" rates at Rp 50,000 per hour, it
still does not help.

"If room occupancy continues to decline, I don't know what
I'll do anymore because I spent a lot of money renovating this
place after the fire," she said.

Before the fire, she had some 70 women, but now she has only
20. Many of them returned to their villages following the
September riots.

Vonny, who comes from Tuban, East Java, said her "bookings"
had decreased as the reform movement increased.

She said she normally charged Rp 250,000 to Rp 300,000 for a
night's service, and for quick service she charged a standard
rate as set by her pimp.

The declining trend also affects both high and low-class
prostitutes.

High-class prostitutes in the city are difficult to locate.

They operate through a network which is only known by regular
customers. Normally, they operate in a number of cafes, including
those near Losari beach.

Ilham, a construction businessman, used to spend a night out
with one of the "high" class prostitutes, paying Rp 300,000 for
quick service which excludes a room.

However, since the economic downturn, his business has not
been doing so well and he has had to curb his night
entertainment.

Low-class prostitutes are the most noticeable. They are spread
along Jl. Rajawali, Jl. Gunung Nona, Jl. Kancil Utara, Jl.
Tanggul Patompo, Jl. Pongtiku and Jl. Sejiwa.

Such streetwalkers normally charge customers Rp 20,000 a turn.

Quite a few complain they have not had a customer for a few
days.