Indonesians display anger with sandals

Indonesians display anger with sandals Indonesians have found a new symbol for their growing frustration at uneven justice in their young, democratic nation: cheap, worn-out flip-flops.

They have been dropping them off at police stations all over the sprawling archipelago to express outrage over the arrest and trial of a 15-year-old boy for lifting an old pair of white sandals from outside a boarding house used by police in northern Indonesia.

"This is insane," said Titis Anissa, a high school teacher in the capital, Jakarta, noting that government officials found guilty of plundering state coffers get off with a slap on the wrist. "And a young, poor boy takes a pair of $3 sandals? Enough already!"

The boy snatched the shoes while he and several friends headed home from school in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi province, in November 2010.

He was later interrogated and badly beaten by three officers, and faces up to five years in prison if found guilty — the same sentence given to many terrorists, drug pushers and rapists.

He will appear Wednesday before the court in Palu for the second hearing of his trial, which opened last month.

 

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- Posted on January 3, 2012
Submitted by madelynn22 on Wednesday, 05/09/2012 - 15:40.

This story was about a teenage boy who collected worn out flip flops to turn a boring house into a bright colorful house. The police arrested this teenage boy for stealing all of these flip flops.Then he went to the store with some of his friends and he stole a three dollar. So I think that making his house more colorful with worn out flip flops was kind of dumb because he was going to get arrested anyway because he stole all of them.

Submitted by deannam14 on Tuesday, 05/08/2012 - 11:38.

It seems odd to me that they would arrest a fifteen-year-old over sandals. I mean, they're just sandals! This is really unfair and I hope that he got a fair trial.

Submitted by Mirei on Monday, 04/30/2012 - 20:20.

That was sad, but inspiring. It was sad because an fifteen-year-old got beaten and has to spend up to five years in jail! That is just crazy compared to the time he should actually spend in jail. You get five years in jail if you're a terrorist or drug pusher. That stuff is a lot worst than stealing a 3-dollar pair of sandals. It's very inspiring because Indonesians stood up for what they felt was wrong. Something so small like this would most likely be ignored, but they knew it was unfair and did something about it. In other places nobody would really care. People deserve to be treated equally. It is true that it is illegal to steal and something should be done because it is not right. On the other hand, it should not be treated so harshly. Maybe one day everyone will be treated equally, but right now that's not the case and something needs to be done.

Submitted by troyk1 on Thursday, 04/19/2012 - 13:12.

Its only a pair of sandals! I agree, if someone told me why they were so angry, point blank and flat out, I would still not understand why.

Submitted by michellebryanna on Monday, 04/02/2012 - 10:54.

okay, this is a bit.....meaningless. stealing is wrong but if it's something so cheap it's not worth jail or a beating. If they were to tell me face-to-face as to why they are so angry with sandals, i would never see their point of view. It's only sandals I don't see what's so wrong with them.

Submitted by Justine18 on Thursday, 03/15/2012 - 21:06.

A teenage boy beaten and faces up to five years of prison if found guilty because... of taken a pair of three dollar sandals! Indonesians stand up to this nonsense of treatment. In northern Indonesia at a boarding house used by police, a 15-year-old boy took an old pair of white sandals from the outside of it. He was beaten by three police officers and was sent to trial! I think that this is outrageous just for pair of old sandals. I do think that there should be a fine or something along those lines but, not life in prison or to get beaten upon. Now, he has to go to trial and if he is found guilty, five years in prison is his punishment. That is the same sentence for terrorists and drug pushers. Indonesians found this frustrating so, to show their outrage, they have been placing worn out flip flops in front of police stations all over the place.

Submitted by dylanro678910 on Tuesday, 03/13/2012 - 11:48.

sure stealing from cops is a bad thing, but come on. A thee dollar pair of sandals taken, and they act like he took the Mona Lisa! A beating and five years of jail, that's Insane! it goes to show that other countries are way stricter than us. I fell bad for that kid if he get sentenced to that five years.

Submitted by dspivey03 on Tuesday, 02/21/2012 - 12:36.

Stealing from the federal treasury punishment and stealing tax dollars from working people. punishment: a slap on the wrist. Stealing a cheapo pair of sandals from outside a boarding house by a minor. punishment: Getting beaten up by three officers, and five years of prison if found guilty. RIGHT!! Thats SO fair!! (Indonesia, that was called sarcasm.) Thats just an outrage. a kid wanted a pair of shoes because he has none probably. five years of prison for a pair of sandals?!?!?!?!?!?!? while stealing money is a slap on the wrist?!? Indonesia seriously needs to learn the ACTUAL meaning of the word justice. obviously, they don't know what it means

Submitted by Kaylie22 on Monday, 02/20/2012 - 11:01.

Whoa, That's a lot of flip flops first of all, and I do not agree with the punishment here that this store is getting because a lot of people like flip-flops, this is crazy and I don't see why anyone would do something like this...

Submitted by hunta16 on Friday, 02/17/2012 - 12:33.

This is out of control!!! What is wrong with them? I bet he will never in his life take shoes again! This is is a very uncalled for punishment! I do not agree with his punishment at all!!This makes me very mad!!