Vendors clash with officers at Senen market

JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of sidewalk vendors operating in Senen market in Central Jakarta clashed yesterday with public order officers, who were assigned to reorganize the market.

The vendors refused to comply with an order that they relocate to the fourth floor of the market building. They insisted on staying on the first floor, saying no buyers would go to the fourth floor.

Tension increased when the vendors stopped officers from relocating their merchandise about 1:30 p.m.

About 50 officers from the Central Jakarta Police precinct and military district were deployed to settle the dispute.

The precinct's deputy chief, Maj. Ronny Syompie, who also went to the market to calm down angry vendors, invited them to talk with him. However, the head of Senen market, Ramelan, was absent.

Ronny said the operation was conducted yesterday in accordance with the governor's order that Senen market be put in order.

"By moving to the fourth floor, you can work safely and your buyers can shop comfortably as well, no longer on the crowded sidewalk like this," he told vendors.

He suggested they follow the order as the municipality has prepared a plan to improve the market's chaotic state.

Heril Astrapradja, secretary of the Senen district office, said that his office had notified vendors of the plan and urged them to move off the sidewalk.

But the vendors insisted on staying put until after Idul Fitri, when they agreed to relocate.

The clean-up operation in Senen started Saturday when the municipality deployed 277 men to reorganize the market's sidewalk vendors.

The operation was jointly conducted by the Central Jakarta mayoralty's public order officers, Central Jakarta military district and Central Jakarta Police precinct.

During Saturday's operation, 15 rusty trucks were removed and some of the sidewalk vendors' carts, umbrellas and scales were confiscated.

The team also listed 42 vendors who will be moved from the sidewalk to the fourth floor.

"We've given them enough time and the municipality has built kiosks on the fourth floor to accommodate them," Heril said.

Some vendors admitted that kiosks had been bought but never used and some were converted to prostitution houses.

Lian Hutapea, one of the vendors, said that he was offered a one meter by one and a half meter kiosk for Rp 1 million (US$200) by a market staffer.

"Every vendor here knows who he is, just ask them," he said without naming the employee.

H. Mangunsong, a bag seller who has been working at Senen market for the last 15 years, said he objected to the municipality's cleanup.

They should be more humane when dealing with the vendors, he said.

"We're not animals ... we can talk and compromise, so please send us a letter beforehand and don't just come and confiscate our merchandise."

On Dec. 12 the Christian vendors held a night prayer on the first floor of the market and prayed for success and wealth, Mangunsong said. But it ended up the other way around the next morning, he said.

"They (the officers) don't know how we feel when they just kick around our merchandise like it is garbage."

The vendors said they were willing to move, in principle, but they demanded a new stairway be built to the fourth floor so buyers could more easily enter and leave.

"We understand that the main stairway at the front of the market is no longer enough because people like to sit down and chat there for hours," Heril said, promising that he would convey the vendors' wish to his boss. (04)