Sidewalk vendors sent packing

JAKARTA: The South Jakarta municipality administration evicted on Thursday dozens of sidewalk vendors along several streets in Pasar Minggu, Ragunan and Rajawali subdistricts.

The evictions started at 9 a.m. and three hours later all the streets had been cleansed of the vendors and their kiosks. They were relocated to a 6,000-square-meter plot of land located in front of the Pasar Minggu bus terminal.

Pasar Minggu subdistrict chief, Djohari, said that the municipality administration had been asking the vendors to move voluntarily to the allocated land since late November, but most did not comply with the request.

One of the vendors said they had not previously moved to the new site because it was already saturated with other vendors.

Djohari denied that categorically, saying that it was just one of the vendors' excuses. He said the land in front of the terminal was empty.

"Starting today, and over the next seven days, we will monitor the street vendors and evict them until they all go to the new place," he said. -- JP