Top separatist gets nine years in prison<\/p>\n
M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon<\/p>\n
The Ambon District Court sentenced on Monday the secretary-
\ngeneral of the Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM), Moses Tuanakotta,
\nto nine years in prison for subversion.<\/p>\n
The sentence was six years lighter than what prosecutors had
\nbeen seeking.<\/p>\n
Moses was found guilty of violating articles 106 and 110 of
\nthe Criminal Code for leading a South Maluku Republic (RMS) flag-
\nraising ceremony on April 25, 2004, in front of the residence of
\nFKM leader Dr. Alex Manuputty on Jl. Dr. Kayadoe in Kudamati,
\nAmbon.<\/p>\n
The ceremony, which was attended by at least 200 supporters
\nand sympathizers, was held to mark the 54th anniversary of the
\nself-declared South Maluku Republic.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Robert Limbong said the prosecution had proven
\nbeyond a doubt that Moses was guilty of subversion and that his
\nactions had threatened the unity of the nation.<\/p>\n
"His actions also caused public chaos," the judge said when
\nreading the verdict.<\/p>\n
The judge said that since its establishment on June 15, 2000,
\nthe FKM had been fighting to separate Maluku from Indonesia. He
\nsaid the group wrongly regarded the South Maluku Republic as a
\nsovereign territory that gained its independence on April 25,
\n1950.<\/p>\n
The judge said Moses claimed the South Maluku Republic was not
\nonly recognized by Christians but also by Maluku Muslims.<\/p>\n
"According to the defendant, Maluku has been annexed by
\nIndonesia and its people colonized by Indonesia," he said.<\/p>\n
As secretary-general of the FKM, Moses reportedly planned
\nstrategies to separate Maluku from Indonesia. His position became
\nmore important when FKM leaders Dr. Alex Manuputty and Semuel
\nWaeleruny went into exile in 2003.<\/p>\n
Moses invited supporters and sympathizers to attend the RMS
\nflag-raising ceremony with an ad in the Siwalima newspaper on
\nApril 19 under the heading: "FKM hopes to raise the RMS flag on
\nApril 25."<\/p>\n
During the ceremony, FKM activists raised the flags of the RMS
\nand the United Nations side by side. This was followed by Moses
\nreading a declaration of RMS independence written by Alex
\nManuputty. Those in attendance then sang the RMS national anthem,
\nHena Masawaya.<\/p>\n
"What the defendant did at Kudamati was an attack on the
\nsovereignty of the nation," said Robert.<\/p>\n
The government says the event triggered three days of violence
\nin Ambon that lasted until April 28, leaving at least 41 people
\ndead. Most of those who were killed were shot by unidentified
\ngunmen.<\/p>\n
Robert said the incriminating factors against Moses included
\nthe fact that he had caused a public disturbance, he was not
\nremorseful and he had the stated desire to separate Maluku from
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
However, the court also took into account the fact that Moses
\nwas well mannered during the trial, had never been convicted of a
\ncrime before and had a family to support.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/top-separatist-gets-nine-years-in-prison-1447893297",
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