Theo's 'supporters' raise discrimination issue<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
As the police prepared to summon the recently fired head of the
\nInvestment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Theo Toemion on Monday over
\nan assault case he was at the center of that occurred at Jakarta
\nInternational School (JIS) on April 17, a group of protesters on
\nFriday drew the race card.<\/p>\n
Claiming to be supporters of Theo, over 1,000 members of the
\nCommunication Forum of Young Kawanua (FKKMI) and the Manado
\nStudents Association (Imama), both groups, from North Sulawesi as
\nis Theo, staged a protest in front of the U.S. Embassy in Central
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
\"No racism, no discrimination against us\", \"We won't allow
\ndiscrimination against us in our own land\", read the banners and
\nposters they displayed during the protest, which began at about 2
\np.m.<\/p>\n
They also claimed that Theo's seven-year-old son Daniel was a
\nvictim of discrimination at his school in JIS.<\/p>\n
\"We want the U.S. government to cancel a plan to bar Theo from
\ntraveling to the U.S. We also demand that the U.S. government be
\nfair and take stern actions against its citizens who discriminate
\nagainst Indonesians,\" said FKKMI chairman Torry Konjangan.<\/p>\n
He added that as the pioneer of democracy and human rights,
\nthe U.S. government should be fair in its assessment of the
\nassault case.<\/p>\n
No representatives from the embassy met with the protesters.
\nAround 100 police officers, who were monitoring the protesters,
\nfinally dispersed them when they realized that the group did not
\nhave a permit for a demonstration, as is required by law.<\/p>\n
According to witnesses and other reports Theo struck a
\n14-year-old student referee and had an altercation with several
\nexpatriate executives at JIS during a children's basketball game
\nin which Daniel was playing.<\/p>\n
Theo, the former legislator of the Indonesian Democratic Party
\nof Struggle (PDI-P), admitted to slapping the referee in the
\nface, trying to grab the shoulder of the woman coordinating the
\ncompetition, and overturning the scorer's table after his son
\nfouled out of the game.<\/p>\n
The referee, identified as CR, and one of the expatriates, who
\nwas injured trying to calm Theo, DM, are also scheduled to speak
\nwith the police as victims\/witnesses.<\/p>\n
According to the law, police may probe an assault case with or
\nwithout a report.<\/p>\n
Article 351 of Criminal Code sets out two years and eight
\nmonths' imprisonment as the maximum punishment for assault while
\nArticle 369 says an individual can receive a maximum punishment
\nof four years' jail if he or she is found to have threatened
\nothers.<\/p>\n
However, police can only investigate threats if victims report
\nthem directly.<\/p>\n
The investigators claim to have questioned one U.S. citizen,
\nidentified as TR, who testified that he saw Theo assaulting the
\nexpatriates at the basketball game.<\/p>\n
Police have also questioned Second Brig. Sofyan, member of
\ncity police vital object unit, Riyo Santoso, security head of
\nJIS, and two of his members, Tatang and Junaedy. All of them were
\non duty at the school when the incident took place.<\/p>\n
City police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said earlier that
\nTheo could very well be named a suspect if enough evidence was
\nfound from witnesses.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, City Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said that
\nofficers would continue questioning witnesses despite protests
\nfrom Theo's backers as such demonstrations had nothing to do with
\nthe assault.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/theos-supporters-raise-discrimination-issue-1447893297",
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