TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An investigation by the Jakarta Ombudsman found that a network of local thugs had illegally rented sidewalk areas for street vendors in the notoriously packed Tanah Abang area, Jatibaru Raya Street.

Head of the Jakarta Ombudsman Teguh Nugroho said that the thugs would charge street vendors with rent up to Rp50,000 per day.

“The thugs are divided into smaller groups, but these small groups pay the big boss,” said Teguh when Tempo reached him by phone on Friday, January 18.

Read also: Street Vendors in Tanah Abang Area Clash with Satpol PP

These thugs were strongly suspected to be involved in the physical clash between Tanah Abang street vendors and the city’s Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) on Thursday, January 17.

The clash was provoked by street vendors that did not manage to obtain a spot on top of the lucrative Tanah Abang skybridge that was created to accommodate street vendors relocated from sidewalks along the Jatibaru Raya Street.

Teguh also suspects that the group of thugs was further fueled by their drastically reduced income when many sidewalk street vendors relocated to the Tanah Abang skybridge. “These thugs lost their source of income ever since the skybridge officially operated,” said Teguh.

GANGSAR PARIKESIT