Vendors rally against thuggery

Vendors rally against thuggery

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan

At least 300 vendors of a traditional market here staged a
protest at the North Sumatra legislative council on Thursday,
demanding protection against thugs they accused of persistently
trying to evict them.

The protesters, from the Tembung market in Deli Serdang
regency, urged the council to protect their right to continue
trading.

They complained that over the last two months, thugs had
intimidated and terrorized them at the market, where they have
operated for years.

According to the vendors, many of them had been kicked and
beaten for refusing to leave the area.

Lina Lubis, a vendor, said although she had never wanted to
move, she had become so frightened that she would comply with the
thugs' orders.

"Because I was late to pack up my goods, I was kicked by
hoodlums, even though I was in the late stages of pregnancy,"
Lina told The Jakarta Post during the protest.

Erbo Purba, another trader, said the thugs had suggested
another location to the vendors, which was not far from the
market. However, they had demanded the vendors pay Rp 15 million
(US$1,800) for a kiosk, he added.

The offer was rejected by the traders on the grounds that the
expensive kiosks had not even been built yet.

"The (thugs) seemingly want to kill (our business) slowly. We
need peace to operate here," Erbo said.

It has often been reported that thugs are backed by security
forces, who use them to extort businesspeople and vendors.

Responding to Thursday's protest, councillor Pajak Sitepu said
the activities of thugs in Tembung market must be stopped.

"The Deli Serdang administration should immediately overcome
the problem before the situation worsens,

"If it's true that vendors must be evicted for development
reasons, the local government should prepare an alternative
location, which is safe and free for them. Don't use thugs to
kick them out," Pajak stressed.

Medan Police chief Sr. Comr. Bagus Kurniawan, who was present
at the council building, vowed to crack down on the activity and
stop the thugs from intimidating the traders.

During the protest, Bagus talked to the vendors and promised
to protect them.