Councillor stands trial for treason<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Aceh Besar District Court began the trial on Thursday of a
\nlocal legislative member who is charged with providing funds to
\nFree Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors said that the councillor, Marwan Muhammad, 43, had
\nfinancially assisted GAM leaders and members in the regency
\nbetween 2000 and 2003, an offense under the Criminal Code article
\non treason.<\/p>\n
\"The crime is punishable with a maximum of 20 years in jail,\"
\nprosecutor Dudi Mulya Kusuma said.<\/p>\n
Marwan is the first legislative member to stand trial since
\nmartial law was imposed in the province on May 19. The emergency
\nstatus has allowed for a four-pronged operation which consists of
\nmajor offensive against rebels, humanitarian mission, empowerment
\nof local administration and law enforcement.<\/p>\n
Security authorities in Aceh have arrested a number of
\nlegislative members and government officials for allegedly
\nassisting the rebels.<\/p>\n
Dudi said Marwan had donated Rp 300,000 (US$35) to GAM leaders
\nTeungku Ahyar, Teungku Tazurra and Ayah Muni and 10 times given
\nbetween Rp 10,000 and Rp 20,000 to a GAM member over the past
\nthree years. As a councillor, he is paid around Rp 4 million a
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
\"Beside financial assistance, the defendant had listened to a
\nspeech delivered by GAM leaders in Siron district in Aceh Besar
\nregency, along with 25 fellow councillors,\" Dudi said.<\/p>\n
Marwan of Golkar was arrested on July 25 this year by Aceh
\nBesar police and is in the Aceh Besar Police's custody.<\/p>\n
The defendant's lawyer, Darwis, called the charges against his
\nclient \"vague\".<\/p>\n
He said his client gave the money to GAM members as
\nindividuals, as opposed to the institution.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Ismail adjourned the trial until after Idul
\nFitri to hear the defense lawyer's rebuttal. The Islamic holiday
\nwill fall on Nov. 25 and 26.<\/p>\n
Separately, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza
\nMahendra said on Thursday the government was preparing a draft on
\namnesty policy and expects to consult the House of
\nRepresentatives in the near future.<\/p>\n
He said GAM rebels who surrendered to the Unitary Republic of
\nIndonesia would be given priority once the policy took into
\neffect.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Governor of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Abdullah
\nPuteh appealed to President Megawati Soekarnoputri to meet her
\npromise to grant amnesty to GAM members who had surrendered to
\nthe government.<\/p>\n
Yusril said the government would investigate GAM members who
\nwere awaiting legal process, on whether they had joined the
\nmovement for ideological reasons, because \"we are also giving
\nconsideration to granting them amnesty.\"<\/p>\n
Yusril was distinguishing GAM rebels who joined for
\nideological reasons, or because they were seeking protection from
\ntheir criminal or terrorist records. The latter would not be
\ngiven amnesty, the minister told a media conference after holding
\na meeting on political and security affairs.<\/p>\n
Separately, House Commission I for defense, security and
\nforeign affairs failed to issue a recommendation to the
\ngovernment concerning the extension of martial law in Aceh for
\nsix months.<\/p>\n
Commission chairman Ibrahim Ambong said after the closed-door
\nmeeting that legislators from Golkar and the National Awakening
\nParty (PKB) factions had rejected the six-month extension and
\nproposed to make it four months instead.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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