Facing eviction, vendors turn to night markets

The world at night: Buyers meet sellers at the Kramat Jati night market in East Jakarta in this undated file photo. Jakarta’s ubiquitous night markets offer one way for vendors facing eviction to make a living. JP/P.J. Leo

The eviction of street vendors, although a common occurrence in Jakarta, has left the displaced vendors with few solutions and alternatives.

While some have fallen into poverty, others have found refuge in Jakarta’s many night markets.

One vendor, Kasmir, said he previously had a fixed stall on Jl. Pejompongan in Central Jakarta.

“When I was in business at Pejompongan, I rented a 3-meter wide stall for Rp 5 million [US$586] a year, but soon thereafter everyone was evicted,” he said.

Kasmir has since worked as a mobile vendor for about three years selling children’s clothing and moving from one night market to another.

He and two colleagues operate their business collectively, paying Rp 15,000 a night for three stalls.

Work as a mobile vendor, however, was anything but secure. “Here I might earn up to Rp 500,000 if the weather is good,” he said at the Kemanggisan night market in West Jakarta recently.

Another vendor, Tari, started working at night markets two years ago after her family’s clothing business was bankrupted by the sudden departure of 20 employees.

“Life in Jakarta was too expensive for them.”

The 36-year-old has since worked as a mobile street vendor, selling women’s veils and ice tea at night markets.

“I can make about Rp 500,000 to Rp 800,000 per day selling veils,” she said.

The work allowed her to better manage her time, Tari added.

“In the morning I can bring my children to school and in the afternoon I can prepare for the night market,” she said.

Sugeng, who rents stalls at the Kemandoran night market in Central Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post that he wanted to help marginalized people make a decent living while empowering local people.

Vendors paid about Rp 10,000 a night for a stall at the Kemandoran night market, he said, adding that spots were always in demand.

“Yesterday I had to reject 10 vendors because there was no longer enough space for them,” he added.

Sugeng said some residents found the vendors disruptive, so he worked to smooth relations, serving as “an envoy to create harmony between the needs of vendors and the convenience of residents.” (rpt)