Aceh rebels rejects terrorism charges<\/p>\n
Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post , Banda Aceh, Aceh<\/p>\n
Former peace negotiators representing the Free Aceh Movement
\n(GAM) rejected on Monday terrorism charges laid against them and
\nasked all parties involved in the peace talks to be brought to
\ncourt.<\/p>\n
Teungku Muhammad Usman Lampoh Awe, in his defense, told the
\nBanda Aceh District Court, that the accusation was baseless and
\nirrelevant as it was linked to his and his colleagues'
\nrepresentation of the separatist group in negotiations with the
\nIndonesian government.<\/p>\n
"For the sake of justice, the charges must be dropped," Usman
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Usman is one of five former GAM negotiators standing trial for
\nalleged treason and acts of terror, which carry a death sentence.<\/p>\n
Fellow defendant, Teungku Amni bin Ahmad Marzuki, demanded the
\nnegotiators be acquitted of all charges.<\/p>\n
"As a negotiator, I just conducted a mission to restore peace,
\nwhich had been agreed on by the two parties and the international
\ncommunity. Therefore I ask the judges to drop the case for the
\nsake of justice," Amni said.<\/p>\n
He said evidence presented by the prosecutors was not
\nsufficient to build a case against him and other GAM negotiators.<\/p>\n
"They are just excesses of the war that is now going on in
\nAceh," Amni said.<\/p>\n
Usman demanded the court also try negotiators representing the
\nIndonesian government and members of the Switzerland-based peace
\nbroker, the Henry Dunant Centre, if their participation in the
\npeace talks was considered a crime.<\/p>\n
"If serving as peace negotiators is a crime, all people
\ninvolved in the peace process, including (former president) Gus
\nDur ... must stand trial," Usman said.<\/p>\n
The peace process was initiated during the tenure of former
\npresident Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid in 2000. A six-month truce
\nwas reached last December, but was then broken in May this year
\nafter GAM rejected terms set by Jakarta for renewed peace talks.<\/p>\n
The lawyer representing the defendants, Rufriadi of the Banda
\nAceh Legal Aid Institute, said the accusations were confusing as
\nit mixed up terrorism and political crimes.<\/p>\n
He said there was no solid proof of his clients' involvement
\nin a series of murders, bomb attacks, abduction and other crimes
\nbetween 2000 and 2003 as stated by the prosecutors.<\/p>\n
The trial was adjourned to next week to hear the prosecutors'
\nresponse to the defense argument.<\/p>",
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