British and American women go on trial in Aceh for visa violations
British and American women go on trial in Aceh for visa violations
Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh
After more than two months in police custody, the trials of
Briton Lesley McCulloch and American Joy Lee Sadler began on
Monday at the Banda Aceh District Court. The pair are charged
with visa violations, which is punishable by up to five years in
jail or a maximum fine of Rp 25 million (US$2,771).
Lesley, 40, and Sadler, 47, were detained by the police in
South Aceh early in September after being found taking part in
activities allegedly linked to the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).
During the court session on Monday, presided over by judge
Arsil Marwan, prosecutor Kamaruzzaman said McCulloch violated her
visa by collecting data and documents related to GAM.
He said McCulloch arrived in Aceh on Aug. 11 on a tourist visa
obtained in the North Sumatra capital of Medan. The prosecutor
said she them met with GAM negotiator Tengku Kamaruzzaman at the
Kuala Tripa hotel in Banda Aceh.
The prosecutor said that 10 days after her arrival, McCulloch
met Sadler, who had been in the province since July 28, at a
supermarket in Banda Aceh.
The pair them made plans to travel to Banyak island in South
Aceh for vacation. McCulloch asked an Acehnese woman identified
as Fitrah to accompany them as a tour guide.
The three took public transportation to Tapaktuan in South
Aceh on Sept. 5. They were then forced to cancel plans to visit
Banyak island and had to remain in Tapaktuan because they could
not secure a boat ride.
Three days later, according to the prosecutor, the women went
to the village of Manggamat in North Kluet district, South Aceh,
by bus. Six unidentified gunmen stopped them and took them to the
village by motorcycle.
At the village, both McCulloch and Sadler met with Teungku
Abrar Muda, GAM military chief for Lhok Tapaktuan. McCulloch also
spoke with local residents and took pictures of houses that had
allegedly been burned down by the military.
Sadler, a retired nurse, was asked to look at a number of sick
villagers staying in shelters. The American has nursing
experience with refugees in conflict zones.
In court on Monday, McCulloch, accompanied by her lawyers
Johnson Panjaitan, Rufriadi and Syarifah Murlina, appeared calm
and smiled at local and international journalists during the
session, which lasted for about 30 minutes.
Sadler's trial began immediately afterward.
McCulloch, who is a witness for Sadler, said the pair did not
plan to travel to Manggamat village.
"I have never seen gunmen back home so I was anxious and just
followed their order to go to the village," she said, adding that
she even did not even know the name of the village.
"Maybe I met with Abrar Muda but it is was not arranged
beforehand," she said.
The trials were adjourned until Wednesday, at which time the
court will hear the defendants' responses to the charges.