Chaos at Depok Baru station as rail operator evicts vendors

The Jakarta Post, Depok Mon, December 10 2012,


The situation at Depok Baru train station, West Java, turned ugly on Monday as vendors at the station tried to prevent railway operator PT KAI Commuter Jabodetabek (KCJ) from demolishing their kiosks.

The eviction, aimed at providing more space for commuters, was marked by stone throwing and abuse as the vendors protested against KCJ, saying that they were entitled to do business at the station because they had made routine payments to the company.

A clothing vendor named Amat, for example, said that he always paid rent of Rp 8 million (US$830) every year for his kiosk.

He had also bought his kiosk for Rp 30 million from KCJ, he said.

“Return my money and give us an assurance that they will relocate us first. Don’t just kill our livelihoods like this,” said Amat, who has been conducting his business in the station for 20 years.

KCJ, however, will not compensate the vendors as the land is owned by the company, according to KCJ spokeswoman Eva Chairunisa.

She added that the company had also given ample time for the total of 312 vendors at the station to relocate by informing them about the eviction in November.

Following the eviction, the police detained three people for throwing stones and lumps of wood during the disturbance, said Depok Police operation unit head Comr. Suratno.