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.