Vendors protest against demolition

BEKASI (JP): At least 150 street vendors of the Pondok Gede market staged a protest yesterday against the demolition of their makeshift kiosks by the authorities earlier the same day.

The vendors marched to the Bekasi Municipal Office, seeking redress from the authorities which, they said, demolished their kiosks without any notice.

According to vendors' spokesman Mamat Hidayat, the vendors had been renting land in the 300-square-meter place from PT Gagana Megah Utama for the past five months.

The firm recently increased the monthly rent from Rp 500 (20 U.S. cents) to Rp 1,000 per square meter.

"We have been told that the area has been handed over to the authorities but the company refused to explain," Mamat told reporters.

Executives of the company could not be reached for confirmation yesterday. (bsr)