Traders protest at City Council

Traders protest at City Council

JAKARTA: Some 100 street vendors who were evicted from outside
the Pasar Minggu traditional market in South Jakarta staged a
protest in the grounds of City Hall on Tuesday, demanding that
the city administration allow them to start trading again.

They were evicted from the pavements in front of the market
three months ago and have since moved inside the market complex.
But they complain that the move has led to a fall business.

"We hope that we will be allowed to resume our activities (in
front of the market) as the new place is no good for us to do
business," Mohamad Nasikin, a spokesman for the traders, told a
hearing with the City Council's economic affairs commission.

The councillors, however, advised them to stay inside the
market, saying that the pavements could no longer be used for
trading due to the problem of traffic congestion in the city.

"You should stay inside the market as the buyers will come to
you if you keep trading there," said councillor Sumiyati Soekarno
of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan).--JP