A week after the start of the dispute over the demolition of two places of work of traders in the market “Sakhovat” in the city of Kulob, on November 6, traders dissatisfied with this decision dispersed.
As of Monday, two rows of agricultural and dairy products, disputed by traders and market management, were destroyed and the sellers moved to another area.
Programming for the construction of new stores on the demolished site is nearing completion. Bibisoro Davlatova is one of the sellers who lost their old trade point and now have to organize a place for themselves in a new point. Mrs. Davlatova, who has been supporting her family for the last twenty years by selling chakka and kurut, is worried that she will be deprived of a new job. For him and many other traders, the loss of their usual place of work means the loss of customers and income, which often provides for the daily living of their families.
“I am asking the same intelligent people, the same people sitting at the table – my father, my mother, my brother or my child, to have mercy on my burnt liver, to give me a good place, to find a piece of bread until the day I die. I will eat,” Davlatova begged in a conversation with Radio Ozodi.
The management of the market says that it has decided to sign new contracts with the traders of this market.
Yakubjon Jum’aev, one of the other businessmen deprived of his old place of work, now has a new place. They promised Yakubjon that they will sign a contract with him in the new location. He says that he does not know many details of the new working conditions, only that he was promised to sign a new contract.
Apparently, traders are concerned about the lack of transparency in the subsequent work process, including the terms and conditions proposed in the new contracts.
The discussion of the demolition of the vendors’ place started a week ago. The management of the market demanded the traders to vacate their seats. According to traders, their location has been given to another businessman. This decision caused controversy and protest of traders.
They complained to the Kulob government in a collective letter.
Speaking to Radio Ozodi, some traders said that even those who have been assigned to work on the new shelves of the market doubt that it will be long-term and fear that these places are temporary and have their own owners.
Most of the merchants whose places have been destroyed have 20 years of experience in this place. Now they are waiting for the new market management contracts to be submitted to see what conditions will be created for them.
Akbar Alimov, the head of “Sakhovat” market in Kulob, says, “I will make a contract for everything on the same day, and the same places where they are sitting, will start selling there.”
Kulob is located in the south of Tajikistan, has a population of 250 thousand and is the third largest city in the country. There are not many production enterprises and institutions in this area, and most of the residents provide income for their families by working in the market and partly by agriculture. The rest of the residents live in work migration.
Source : Радио Озоди