Theo's 'supporters' raise discrimination issue

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.