Vendors from riot-ravaged markets to be relocated

Vendors from riot-ravaged markets to be relocated

JAKARTA (JP): Vendors of traditional markets which were ruined
during last week's massive riots would be relocated quickly to
other places, said an official of the city-owned traditional
market management agency.

Lihardin Sipayung, the agency's spokesman, said over the
weekend that his office was still calculating losses and the
number of vendors who needed to be relocated.

He said the tally was required to help prepare the relocation
program and the funds to be used to support the program.

"But it's not an easy job to get the exact amount of losses or
the number of affected vendors because most of them did not
report their losses to the agency," said Lihardin.

The relocation funds will be taken from the agency's budget
and the city's office for market maintenance, he said, declining
to give details on the amount.

He said it was likely the relocation would start today.

"We have to implement the relocation program as quickly as
possibly because it is important to accelerate trade activities.
Besides, the governor has told us not to delay the handling of
the affected vendors," he said without identifying vendors from
which markets would get priority.

Official data shows that at least 13 traditional markets were
attacked or destroyed during the four days of violent riots,
which erupted following the death of four Trisakti University
students on May 12.

Lihardin said only three out of the 13 markets were totally
destroyed. They were Palmerah market, Central Jakarta, Cipete
market, South Jakarta, and Glodok market, West Jakarta.

Vendors from these three markets would be relocated to other
areas or markets under the approval of the local mayor, he said.

Lihardin said the vendors could also be relocated to nearby
markets mainly in line with the type of items they sold and also
the availability of space in other markets.

Hendra, a vendor of the Palmerah market, said early last week
that it was not easy for vendors like him who sold automotive
spare parts to restart a business at another location.

"We lost just about everything in the fire. Getting a new
place or new clients is one thing. But getting the money to
finance the business from square one is something else," he said.

Lihardin declined to say whether it would be possible for the
vendors to get financial help from the administration to restart
their businesses.

He only said that it was hoped that the relocation would help
boost market activities and, if possible, bring the prices down a
bit as well.

Price development

Warti, a vegetable vendor at Mayestik market, South Jakarta,
which was less affected by the riots, said many vendors had
intentionally raised prices because a stock shortages, especially
fresh vegetables and meat.

The price of beef during the third week of May, for example,
increased to between Rp 15,000 and Rp 19,000 per kilo from Rp
11,000 and Rp 18,000 per kilo previously.

The prices of vegetables have oscillated almost from day to
day. At the Kramat Jati central market, East Jakarta, carrot
prices surged by about 52 percent to Rp 2,500 per kilo on Friday
from only Rp 1,200 per kilo on Thursday, red chili by 20 percent
to Rp 5,000 per kilo from Rp 4,000 per kilo and leek by 30
percent to Rp 5,000 per kilo from Rp 3,500 per kilo during the
same period.

Rice prices were less fluctuating, staying at between Rp 1,500
and Rp 3,750 per kilo.

Warti said many suppliers could not deliver their products to
Jakarta because they were afraid of becoming victims in the
massive riots. Distributors and vendors here were also worried
about the same thing.

"We could not get fresh and sufficient supplies until late
last week when the government started taking action against the
rioters," said Warti. (cst)