President urges non-forceful eviction of street vendors

The Jakarta Post   |  Thu, 02/05/2009 8:24 PM  |  National

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono urged all local administrative leaders Thursday to avoid forcefully evicting street vendors when implementing spatial planning improvements.

The President said the number of street vendors was likely to spike as the impact of the global economic crisis hits Indonesia's workforce, so appropriate treatment must be in place toward those who turn to the streets to make their living.

"Currently about 250,000 people are losing their formal jobs [because of the crisis]; some are moving into the informal sector," he said while urging mayors and regents to show understanding.

"Don't let those who have just been laid off from their formal sector jobs be evicted just like that because they need to feed their wives and kids," he said. (and)

Link: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/02/05/president-urges-nonforceful-eviction-street-vendors.html