Fish market residents celebrate end of Ramadan in tents

Zachary Lee

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Fish market residents celebrate end of Ramadan in tents
Since the Jakarta administration demolished their houses in Pasar Ikan in April, 380 evicted families, who claim they have the right to live on the property, camped inside temporary tents among the ruins

JAKARTA, Indonesia – “Everything has changed. Lebaran is not the same anymore.”

There were the words of Andy Sahrul, a 21-year-old college student living in a temporary shelter with his parents at the recently cleared fish market or Pasar Ikan in North Jakarta.

Sahrul is one of the residents who refused to give up their land. 

Since the Jakarta administration demolished their houses in Pasar Ikan in April, 380 evicted families, who claim they have the right to live on the property, camped inside temporary tents among the ruins. 

LEBARAN. Kids enjoy their food in the cleared fish market. Photo by Zachary Lee

The residents have refused to be relocated to low-cost rental apartments provided by government, because the apartments are too far from the fish market where most of them work.

“I have been living in Pasar Ikan more than 50 years,”Andi Arifin, Sahrul’s father, said. 

According to local administration, the land that Arifin occupies is illegal, but Arifin said he would do his best to claim his rightful land. 

“The authorities has promised to formalize ownership of land that had been inhabited for more than 20 years,” he said, emphasizing he has paid tax and necessary fees to government for the past years.

Arifin worked nearby at the fish market as a grocery delivery boy from one island to another. He explained that if he moved to the to low-cost rental apartments, he will lose his job due to the long distance from the apartment to the fish market.

PRAYERS. Residents of Pasar Ikan pray near their tents. Photo by Jennifer Sidharta

Lebaran

The residents celebrated lebaran or the end of the holy month of Ramadan, in the same area as always – but this year, without houses. 

“I used to invite my friends to my house, but this year, I can’t. Because I have no house anymore,” Sahrul said.

Although the residents lived under bad conditions, they have tried their best to be optimistic.

In the early morning of July 6, they prayed together. During Ramadan, the residents performed prayers in a half-demolished prayer room together.

Adults and children enjoyed traditional food for Lebaran.

“We will fight for our right until meet a mutual agreement.” –Rappler.com

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