(7/13/2009)
In partial response to reports that beggars and prostitutes were disturbing visitors and passerby's in the vicinity of Ground Zero and the Bali Bombing Memorial , members of Kuta's neighborhood watch (Linmas) and community empowerment agency (LPM) conducted sweeping raids that rounded up tens of transvestites, commercial sex workers and beggars on July 1, 2009.
The nighttime round-up netted a total 37 beggars, 11 commercial sex workers, 19 transvestites, 3 people with no identity cards and 2 improperly parked taxis. Most of the arrests were made in the vicinity of the Bali Bombing Monument, but some of those captured were caught on Jalan Poppies and Jalan Raya Pantai Kuta, after a brief chase by community enforcement officers.
Most of these arrested had their personal details taken for processing on public nuisance complaints. However, the beggars, many of whom were children, were rounded up for eventual return to their home villages.
The Chairman of the Kuta LPM , Komang Graha Wicaksana, told NusaBali that the raids were made after receiving numerous complaints on the nuisance caused by the transient street workers from local residents.
NusaBali also told of a small incident that occurred following the Kuly 1st raids when a young Spanish man came to the LPM office and began screaming, demanding the release of his beloved "Carmen." According to the paper, the young man who was intoxicated, finally moved on when asked by do so by a persuasive and well-built member of the community enforcement team.
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