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.