Vendors defy order to close their business
Vendors defy order to close their business
JAKARTA (JP): More than 100 street vendors whose kiosks were
demolished earlier this week returned on Thursday to the
"strategic" site in front of the Senen market.
Dozens of vendors have rebuilt their kiosks on the sidewalk in
front of the market, defying a ruling issued by the city
administration which bans vendors from using public facilities in
a bid to maintain cleanliness and order in the capital.
Despite a warning from City Public Order officials, vendors
said they planned to resume business on Friday, with some in
operation hours after their kiosks were demolished on Tuesday.
The demolition was carried out to restore the streets and
sidewalks for public use, Rustam Effendi, the secretary of the
Central Jakarta mayoralty, said following the crackdown.
Most vendors said they would adopt "hide-and-seek" tactics to
do business in the area until the city administration offers a
space they consider to be strategic for selling their goods.
Anwar Nainggolan, a vendor who set up his kiosk in the area in
1997, said on Thursday his business had run well, enabling him to
hire two assistants. Another vendor, Basri, who started from
scratch 16 years ago, can now employ five workers.
The city administration has asked the vendors to move their
kiosks to an area behind the Senen market, which was rejected by
the vendors on grounds that it was dirty and smelly because it
was near a chicken market.
"By forcing us to move, the city officials are actually
killing our business," said Anwar, who claimed that he
represented his fellow vendors.
Joni, a doll seller, said that vendors should pay, besides a
Rp 300,000 monthly fee, between Rp 1 million and Rp 3.5 million
in advance for each kiosk in the new location.
"I would personally be willing to relocate my kiosk if only I
could afford to pay the rent," Joni said, explaining that he
earned an average of Rp 400,000 monthly.
Vendors said they were willing to comply with the city's
ruling as long as they were provided with kiosks similar to those
built on the sidewalk in front of the Christian University of
Indonesia (UKI) in East Jakarta and at the Pulogadung bus
terminal. (06)