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)