Theo's 'supporters' raise discrimination issue
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
As the police prepared to summon the recently fired head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Theo Toemion on Monday over an assault case he was at the center of that occurred at Jakarta International School (JIS) on April 17, a group of protesters on Friday drew the race card.
Claiming to be supporters of Theo, over 1,000 members of the Communication Forum of Young Kawanua (FKKMI) and the Manado Students Association (Imama), both groups, from North Sulawesi as is Theo, staged a protest in front of the U.S. Embassy in Central Jakarta.
"No racism, no discrimination against us", "We won't allow discrimination against us in our own land", read the banners and posters they displayed during the protest, which began at about 2 p.m.
They also claimed that Theo's seven-year-old son Daniel was a victim of discrimination at his school in JIS.
"We want the U.S. government to cancel a plan to bar Theo from traveling to the U.S. We also demand that the U.S. government be fair and take stern actions against its citizens who discriminate against Indonesians," said FKKMI chairman Torry Konjangan.
He added that as the pioneer of democracy and human rights, the U.S. government should be fair in its assessment of the assault case.
No representatives from the embassy met with the protesters. Around 100 police officers, who were monitoring the protesters, finally dispersed them when they realized that the group did not have a permit for a demonstration, as is required by law.
According to witnesses and other reports Theo struck a 14-year-old student referee and had an altercation with several expatriate executives at JIS during a children's basketball game in which Daniel was playing.
Theo, the former legislator of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), admitted to slapping the referee in the face, trying to grab the shoulder of the woman coordinating the competition, and overturning the scorer's table after his son fouled out of the game.
The referee, identified as CR, and one of the expatriates, who was injured trying to calm Theo, DM, are also scheduled to speak with the police as victims/witnesses.
According to the law, police may probe an assault case with or without a report.
Article 351 of Criminal Code sets out two years and eight months' imprisonment as the maximum punishment for assault while Article 369 says an individual can receive a maximum punishment of four years' jail if he or she is found to have threatened others.
However, police can only investigate threats if victims report them directly.
The investigators claim to have questioned one U.S. citizen, identified as TR, who testified that he saw Theo assaulting the expatriates at the basketball game.
Police have also questioned Second Brig. Sofyan, member of city police vital object unit, Riyo Santoso, security head of JIS, and two of his members, Tatang and Junaedy. All of them were on duty at the school when the incident took place.
City police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said earlier that Theo could very well be named a suspect if enough evidence was found from witnesses.
Meanwhile, City Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said that officers would continue questioning witnesses despite protests from Theo's backers as such demonstrations had nothing to do with the assault.