Traders to sue Tanah Abang operator

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