Traders to sue Tanah Abang operator

JAKARTA: About 600 traders at the Tanah Abang textile market in Central Jakarta are considering suing the market operator for trying to oust them.

"We still hold valid licenses that allow us to stay until 2007, some even until 2015," the coordinator of the traders, Effendi, said as quoted by detikcom on Thursday.

"Should the market operator continue its attempts to move us, we will file a complaint at the State Administrative Court against Tanah Abang market director Prabowo," he said.

Effendi said traders had faced threats and intimidation because of their stance.

The traders presently occupy the market's Block A and AB sections, which city market operator PD Pasar Jaya plans to replace with a modern shopping mall. A small part of Block A was burned in a fire in February last year, prompting the operator to plan a revamp of the traditional market.

Although it is not clear when plans for the development were made, in March last year Tempo magazine insinuated the project was connected with the fire.

The article raised several libel suits against the magazine and its journalists. -- JP