Govt to release GAM prisoners soon

Govt to release GAM prisoners soon

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government is pressing ahead with the immediate release of
some 2,000 Free Aceh Movement (GAM) prisoners under an amnesty
scheme agreed in the peace deal that was recently signed.

Director general of human rights protection Hafid Abbas said
on Saturday the release would take place in stages, between Aug.
28 and Aug. 31.

"The release will be made in stages, but we will keep our
promises under the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between the
government of Indonesia and GAM about the deadline for the
release of GAM prisoners and detainees by Aug. 31," he said, as
quoted by Antara.

House of Representatives lawmakers have demanded that the
government consult with them regarding the amnesty offer in a
meeting scheduled for Wednesday.

The peace agreement signed in Helsinki stipulates that
political prisoners and detainees held in connection with the
conflict in Aceh be released unconditionally within 15 days of
the signing on Aug. 15.

Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin has said
that the government would not seek House approval for the
granting of the amnesty for GAM prisoners as the Constitution
only requires the government to take into consideration the
Houses' opinion on such matters.

The government, Hafid said, would release all GAM prisoners
after the meeting with the House. Preparations for the release,
including the departure of prisoners from penitentiaries across
the country to Aceh, was underway, he added.

The amnesty, which was proposed by the government during the
peace talks, would restore the rights of GAM prisoners, in
particular their political rights.

Hafid said the government would also release GAM members who
were convicted for criminal acts that were ideologically
motivated.

"These GAM prisoners will undergo a series of screenings
before we decide whether they are eligible for the amnesty. A GAM
member who was convicted of stealing cars for GAM operations, for
example, must be released because there was an ideological reason
behind the crime," Hafid said.

A number of human rights groups have called on the government
to release both political prisoners and those who were convicted
or prosecuted for criminal cases during the imposition of martial
law in Aceh two years ago.

Some of them were prosecuted because of their involvement in
GAM, even though the courts convicted them for ordinary crimes.

The government would also screen the health of the prisoners
and detainees, particularly to identify possible drugs users.

"The process is not over because there is a humanitarian
process. We don't want to release them just like that but we will
also examine where they would live in Aceh, where conditions have
yet to get back to normal (after the tsunami)," Hafid said.

The government will also provide clothing, and money for
transportation and a few days living costs for the released GAM
prisoners, Hafid added.