Vendors clash with East Jakarta public order officers

Vendors clash with East Jakarta public order officers

JAKARTA (JP): A mob, mostly of street vendors and car washers,
clashed with public order officials in Duren Sawit, East Jakarta
on Friday morning after the latter forcibly attempted to close
their businesses.

Public order officials came to Jl. I Gusti Ngurah Rai early on
Friday morning, but were surprised at being met with resistance
by street vendors and car washers.

A number of workers from makeshift carwashes on the road said
they had heard news about the planned operation by city public
order officials against them one or two days beforehand, and
therefore were prepared for the confrontation.

"We packed up our equipment and signs. When the officers came
and started pushing away our vending carts, we fought them. They
have no right to do this," Muki, a street car washer who has
worked there since 1998, told reporters at the scene.

Following the clash, angry vendors and car washers burned
tires and other items, causing the streets to become deserted as
motorists sought alternative routes.

Police were not present in or around the area.

As of 8:30 a.m. on Friday, East Jakarta Police officers said
Jl. I Gusti Ngurah Rai remained closed as masses had burned tires
and cut down trees to block the road.

Miki said the city administration had no right to evict street
vendors and car washers from the area since they had been
operating there since the 1980s.

"We have been here for years now, and there are some who have
been here since the early 1980s. You can't just kick us out,"
Muki said.

Separately, City Governor Sutiyoso declared that following
Friday's incident, public order operations against street traders
would be temporarily halted.

"Yes, we should slow down and stop operations for a while. We
will try to avoid having any clashes with street traders,"
Sutiyoso told reporters at City Hall.

He said the postponement of operations were made particularly
because of the upcoming convening of the special session of the
People's Consultative Assembly.

Sutiyoso went as far as to say that the street traders were
possibly used by certain parties to create security and public
order disturbances to stop the special session from being held.

"There are so many rumors circulating that certain parties
will create unrest to halt the special session," Sutiyoso said.

However, Sutiyoso insisted that the city administration would
not put an end to public order operations, and that they would
resume when the situation returns to normal. (ylt/jun)