Aceh rebels to be jailed in Java

Aceh rebels to be jailed in Java

The Jakarta Post , Banda Aceh/Semarang/Jakarta

The history of Aceh is set to repeat in itself as a large group
of convicted rebels will have to serve their jail terms in exile
from their home province.

Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said
on Monday that overcrowded prisons in the strife-torn province
had prompted the government to move the Free Aceh Movement (GAM)
prisoners from the province to Central Java.

A total of 143 rebels will be transferred to a number of
penitentiaries across Central Java, including the Nusakambangan
maximum security prison island, where former president Soeharto's
son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra and golfing buddy Mohammad "Bob"
Hasan are also serving jail terms.

The first batch of 89 rebels will arrive at their new prisons
on Wednesday. Among them will be former GAM negotiators Sofyan
Ibrahim Tiba, Teuku Kamaruzzaman, Nashiruddin bin Ahmad, Amni bin
Ahmad Marzuki and Muhammad Usman.

Only those who were sentenced to three years or more in jail
and those whose appeals were rejected by the high court will be
moved.

"The penitentiaries in Aceh are all full," Yusril told
reporters in Jakarta.

Over 1,000 rebels have been captured or have surrendered since
the Indonesian Military (TNI) launched its massive offensive
against the rebels in May last year.

A century ago, the Netherlands Indies administration also sent
Acehnese independence leaders, such as female heroine Tjoet Njak
Dien, into exile in West Java. The Dutch considered this would
weaken the local people's resolve to resist the colonial troops.

Adi Sujatno, the director general of penitentiaries at the
justice ministry, admitted that penitentiaries in Central Java
were just as overcrowded as those in other parts of the country.

"But we will provide space for the convicted GAM members," he
said.

"We will teach them about nationalism and provide them with
practical skills."

Adi said the government understood the move would separate the
convicted GAM members from their families.

"But, it also happens to other inmates across the country," he
asserted.

Marsono, who heads the Central Java office of the Ministry of
Justice and Human Rights, said his office was ready to receive
the GAM members.

Apart from the Nusakambangan penitentiary, his office had also
designated the Semarang, Magelang, Ambarawa, Bulu, Kedungpane and
Pekalongan penitentiaries to house the rebels.

Separately, Sri Rahmayanti, 28, the daughter of Sofyan Tiba,
appealed to the martial law administration in Aceh to cancel the
transfer of her father due to his health problems.

Sofyan, who suffers from diabetes, must adhere to a special
diet, Sri said, adding that she brought specially prepared meals
to her father every day.

"I think it is clear he is not simply being moved, but rather
is being exiled," Sri said.

Afridal Darmi, a lawyer who represents the convicted GAM
members, complained about the transfer of his clients, which will
go ahead despite their appeals to the Supreme Court.

"Such transfers should only be applicable to prisoners whose
appeals have been rejected by the Supreme Court. I'm going to
find out whether the martial law administration knows about this
regulation," he said.

Afridal also complained that the Aceh provincial government
had not provided him with sufficient documents regarding the
planned transfer of his clients to Central Java.

"The police only showed me a letter ordering the transfer of
the GAM members to Java," he said.