Gus Dur seeks to hasten legal process of activist Nazar<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid is seeking to
\nmoderate the detention of Aceh Referendum Information Center
\n(SIRA) chairman Muhammad Nazar to a city or house arrest.<\/p>\n
\"Gus Dur would like to hasten Nazar's (legal) process in the
\ncourts,\" presidential spokesman Wimar Witoelar told journalists
\nat Merdeka Palace here on Tuesday, adding that the President
\nwould like Nazar not to be detained in prison during proceedings.<\/p>\n
According to Wimar, the President also met an Aceh
\nrepresentative on Monday who came to plead for Nazar's release.<\/p>\n
Nazar was arrested on Nov. 20 on charges of creating public
\ndisorder during a protest held coincident with the commemoration
\nof Indonesia Independence Day on Aug. 17, when SIRA displayed a
\nbanner, proclaiming Indonesia a \"Neocolonialist\".<\/p>\n
SIRA also organized the Mass Gathering for Peace (SIRA RAKAN)
\non Nov. 11, which drew tens of thousands of Acehnese to the
\ncapital of Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
In Banda Aceh, spokesman for the police's Cinta Meunasah
\nOperation, Supt. Yatim Suyatmo, said police have not yet received
\nany orders for Nazar's arrest status to be changed.<\/p>\n
\"It's the National Police and the President's decision. I'm
\nnot at liberty to talk about it,\" Yatim said.<\/p>\n
However, he did remark that it would be safer for Nazar to
\nremain in police custody for his own safety.<\/p>\n
\"At least if something happens to him, we have a responsible
\nparty on the matter. If he's out there, who knows what will
\nhappen to him?\" Yatim remarked without elaborating.<\/p>\n
Continuing, Yatim said that Nazar had been transferred back to
\ndetention under the Aceh Besar Police Precinct after being in the
\ncustody of the Aceh Police headquarters.<\/p>\n
\"Legally, Nazar is a detainee of Aceh Besar Police. We moved
\nhim to Aceh Police headquarters because the cell in Aceh Besar
\nPrecinct was inundated with flood waters. It's only a matter of
\npracticality,\" Yatim told The Jakarta Post by telephone from
\nBanda Aceh.<\/p>\n
The police precinct facility is located on Jl. Tengku Daud
\nBereu-eh, only about one kilometer from Aceh Police Headquarters
\non Jl. Cut Meutia in Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
Sources said Nazar had been abruptly transferred from his cell
\nin Aceh Police headquarters at around 11:30 p.m. on the eve of
\nIdul Fitri on Dec. 26 without notifying his lawyer.<\/p>\n
Nazar's lawyer, Maimul Fidar, claimed that his client was
\ntransferred following threats from other inmates.<\/p>\n
\"We have asked the Aceh Police chief and Aceh Governor to
\nchange Nazar's status to city arrest following the Ramadhan
\nfasting month. Basically they said they have no problem with
\nit ... but so far no decision has been made,\" Maimul said.<\/p>\n
Maimul, who also heads Aceh's Human Rights Coalition NGOs,
\nsaid he did not object to his client's transfer but regretted the
\nway it was done especially without notifying him.<\/p>\n
Separately the Director General for Political Affairs at the
\nForeign Ministry in Jakarta, Hasan Wirayuda, said on Tuesday that
\ntalks between the government and representatives of the
\nseparatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) next week in Geneva.<\/p>\n
\"We hope to find a solution on the Aceh problem,\" Hasan said
\nnoting the government was open for to talks as long as it was in
\nthe framework of maintaining Aceh within the unitary state of
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
\"The talks between the government and Hasan Tiro, or his
\nrepresentative, will may be held between Jan. 6 and Jan. 8,\"
\nHasan said.<\/p>\n
The talks are part of the ongoing Humanitarian Pause. However
\ntop government officials have said that Jakarta will not agree to
\na further extension on the accord.<\/p>\n
The Humanitarian Pause was signed in Geneva in May and
\nextended for three months in September.<\/p>\n
Hasan maintained that the possibility of extending the accord
\ndepends on the results of the talks in Geneva.<\/p>\n
In Geneva the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue also confirmed
\nthat talks will resume next week.<\/p>\n
The three-day talks are the fourth round since June.<\/p>\n
\"The leaderships of the two sides have agreed to come to talks
\non substantive issues leading to a solution to the conflict in
\nAceh, as agreed in September 2000,\" said Andy Andrea, spokesman
\nfor the Swiss-based humanitarian group said on Tuesday, as quoted
\nby Reuters.<\/p>\n
\"These talks will take place in Switzerland between January 8-
\n10.\" (02\/50\/edt)<\/p>",
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