Sutiyoso gives go-ahead to vendor, squatter evictions
Sutiyoso gives go-ahead to vendor, squatter evictions
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Ignoring criticism from all sides, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said
on Monday he would go ahead with his policy of evicting street
vendors and squatters.
The governor said the eviction policy was part of his
administration's efforts to enforce the law and maintain security
and order, to allow Jakarta to compete with other world capitals.
"They violate the law by selling their goods on the street or
by illegally occupying land. It is the task of the governor to
maintain security and order in the city and to make the city more
competitive," Sutiyoso said.
The governor was speaking during impromptu visits to a number
of offices on Monday to check that civil servants had reported
back to work after the long Idul Fitri holiday.
The Jakarta administration has been widely criticized for its
failure to provide any solution to the problem of street vendors
and squatters other than eviction.
Officials have also been criticized for allowing squatters and
street vendors settle in and take over areas of the city in the
first place.
Criticism of the eviction policy as inhumane has come from no
less than President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Prior to the holy month of Ramadhan, several rights bodies
urged the administration to put in place a 180-day moratorium on
evictions. This was not done, with city officials beginning a
fresh round of eviction on Nov. 24, the eve of Idul Fitri.
On Nov. 25 and Nov. 27, thousands of vendors on Jl. Asia-
Afrika in Central Jakarta and at Blok M, Pondok Labu, Mampang,
Pasar Minggu and Kebayoran Lama were evicted.
Sutiyoso accused critics of his policy of trying to curry
favor with the public before next year's general election.
Earlier, thousands of squatters were left homeless when public
order officers, assisted by police officers, destroyed their
homes in Muara Angke in North Jakarta, Cengkareng Timur, Tegal
Alur and Tanjung Duren Selatan in West Jakarta, and in Cipinang
Muara in East Jakarta.
Sutiyoso did not say which squatters were next for eviction,
but public order offices have issued warnings to residents in
Utan Panjang and Kebon Kosong in Central Jakarta, Kayuputih and
Cipinang Besar Selatan in East Jakarta, Rawabadak and Semper
Timur in North Jakarta, and Bukitduri in South Jakarta.
Regarding the eviction of street vendors, the governor said
public order officers were only closing down those street vendors
who refused to relocate to areas specially set aside for them by
the administration.
The vendors say that the locations provided by the
administration are poorly located and have little chance of
attracting customers.
"In that case, it would be better if the vendors returned to
their hometowns," Sutiyoso responded.