Dozens of buggy riders rallied Wednesday in front of City Hall in Central Jakarta to protest the Central Jakarta municipality's policy to relocate buggies operating around the National Monument Park and Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta.
The riders carried a 20-meter long banner covered with signatures of Monas visitors who supported the existence of buggies inside the park.
"On Sunday, we've organized a peaceful rally near the east gate of Monas, asking visitors to support our cause," the Association for the Protection of Betawi Horse-Drawn Carriage (PPDB) spokesman, Iswadi, said via phone.
"We brought the result to the City Hall today *Wednesday*."
Iswadi lamented that city tourism agency seemed turn a deaf ear to their plight.
"They never invited us to discuss the relocation. All of a sudden, they enforced the relocation to us."
Starting Oct. 29, Central Jakarta tourism subagency banned the buggies from operating in the vicinity of the park. It said it had received complaints from a group of sports-loving communities who had complained of stench from horse dung and urine. The municipal administration later decided to tell the buggy riders to move to Ragunan Zoo.
The relocation will likely further trouble the tight competition among buggy riders at the zoo. Currently, 26 horse-carriages split into two groups already operate in two shifts, in order to ease the competition.
Buggy rider Yani said the relocation plan was not viable for most riders.
"We are not against the relocation as long the administration would relocate us close to our homes.
"For example, those riders living in East Jakarta could have been relocated to the Indonesia in Miniature Park *TMII*, while those in North Jakarta could have been moved to the Ancol Dreamland Park."
Meanwhile on sanitary solution, Jakarta Animal and Aid Network (JAAN) research and program officer Benvika said PPDB and JAAN had proposed alternative ways, such as providing a sanitary shelter inside the park, to the tourism agency.
"So far, we have had no positive response from the administration to our suggestion."
