GAM aborts planned release of Aceh legislator

GAM aborts planned release of Aceh legislator

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) decided early this week to cancel
the release of Acehnese legislator Ghazali Usman, held captive by
the group for three months, due to the East Aceh regent's failure
to be present to collect Ghazali at a location specified by GAM.

Abu Isnandar, spokesman for the GAM-affiliated Atjeh-Sumatra
National Liberation Front (ASNLF), said ASNLF regretted that
Ghazali could not be released to the East Aceh administration.

"The release was planned for humanitarian reasons, especially
because Ghazali is in a serious condition that makes it
impossible for his continued arrest and an investigation into his
case has already been completed," he said in a press release sent
to The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

He added that the decision to release Ghazali was made after
he expressed his remorse for involvement with the local military
in the killing of seven employees of palm oil plantation company
PT Bumi Flora in Idi Rayeuk, and pledged not to do anything
hostile toward Acehnese people in the future.

Abu, however, said ASNLF would seek another opportunity at
some time in the immediate future to release "the detainee".

Ghazali, a legislator of the East Aceh chapter of the National
Mandate Party (PAN), has been allowed to be accompanied by his
wife since his health deteriorated.

So far, the murder case, which is still being investigated by
the National Commission for Human Rights, has been left
unresolved, while both GAM and the military in Aceh have denied
their involvement in the incident.

Abu said Ghazali had been detained at a secret location in
Perlak subdistrict and undergone a thorough investigation by
ASNLF's police after being charged with plotting with local
security authorities to commit the murder.

He asserted Ghazali's arrest was not against international
humanitarian law because the defendant was proven guilty of
sowing hostility against Acehnese people and of plotting with the
military to commit the human rights abuses.

"Therefore, Ghazali has lost his civilian immunity and has
been treated as a war criminal. But, he has been given amnesty,"
Abu said.