Unnamed Interests and Informal Leaders: A Street Vendor Relocation in Yogyakarta City

Abstract

On a warm spring evening in 2007, I sat on a bench with "Arif," a street vendor, discussing the municipal government's plan to relocate three groups of vendors to a marketplace. He explained that the government's relocation plan had raised questions and suspicions among a group of traders who identified themselves as Pethikbumi (Paguyuban Pedagang Klithikan Mangkubumi). In their opinion, the municipal government was trying to impose this relocation onto the street vendors in an undemocratic manner. Furthermore, the government was misrepresenting the situation in order to further its own political ends. The municipal government claimed that the traders being relocated were secondhand-goods (klithikan) and antiques traders. However, while this was true for some of the groups of vendors involved, the majority of the traders selling on Mangkubumi Street sold new merchandise. From Arifs viewpoint, the mayor, Herry Zudianto, was behind this project. Arif said, Because Yogyakarta is famous for its tourism, [Herry] wants to build a specialized market for antiques and secondhand goods. Because Herry is the 11 am grateful to my informants who shared their knowledge and experiences with me during my fieldwork in Yogyakarta. The Wenner Gren Foundation and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) made this research possible. I thank Joshua Barker, Katherine Maclvor, and the two anonymous reviewers for their critical comments on earlier drafts. I also thank Indonesia's editors for their comments. Any remaining errors are my own.

Adversarial Linkages: The Urban Poor and Electoral Politics in Jakarta

“…Fluid and complex patterns of brokerage are also typical of the everyday politics of the urban poor in Indonesia. For example, in her work on Indonesian informal traders, Sheri Gibbings has pointed to the mediation role played both by brokers who "are not street traders themselves, but have experience organising groups and connections to political parties or government officials", and by operatives who are themselves experienced and respected street traders (Gibbings, Lazuardi and Prawirosusanto 2017: 269; see also Gibbings 2013). A similar dynamic is visible with the urban poor movement in Jakarta.…”

Mobilizing the Masses

“…Since that time, most municipal governments have developed a series of regulations around vending for their city.16 With the transition to democracy, street vendors have been able to increasingly take advantage of the greater space available to organize and mobilize in defence of their interests. Many work closely with non-governmental or legal aid organizations to seek greater rights (Gibbings 2016(Gibbings , 2013a(Gibbings , 2013b. A flourishing but fragmented activism around street vendors has followed these social, political, and economic changes.…”

“…A flourishing but fragmented activism around street vendors has followed these social, political, and economic changes. Many vendors who face problems of eviction oppose the government without widespread support from other traders, but often with the help of lawyers or ngos (Gibbings 2016(Gibbings , 2013a(Gibbings , 2013b. Legal aid organizations often help street vendors because they are interested in protecting their human rights and in helping them to secure their right to livelihood.…”

“…to influence politics, because there is unity and strength in numbers. Others, however, may have close ties to the government and help to facilitate a relocation or eviction (Gibbings 2013a). Despite the desire among some street vendors and ngos for unity, street traders are an extremely diverse group.…”

“…Social networks such as street vendor organizations are widespread in Indonesia, and can be used for electoral purposes. Street vendors sometimes have organizational leaders who become brokers, but in other cases ngos or lawyers take up this role (Gibbings 2013a). Street vendors sometimes receive gifts from potential clients, such as money, tents, or carts, but some organizationsespecially those vulnerable to relocation or eviction-seek out political contracts, a promise that they will not be evicted in exchange for political support.…”