Journalist detained after visiting Aceh

Journalist detained after visiting Aceh

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

An American journalist, who was caught up in a tussle between the
military and the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) a few years
ago, has been detained at the Polonia Airport in Medan on Sunday
after visiting Aceh.

William A. Nessen said on Sunday that he had wanted to go to
Kuala Lumpur, but was instead flown to Jakarta by the authorities
to "meet an immigration official" here.

"The immigration people are treating me well. They are good
people. But someone else does not like Nessen being in Aceh,"
Nessen told The Jakarta Post.

Nessen entered the country on Jan. 2 and was given a visa-on-
arrival. "My status here is legal as I have a legal and valid
visa to visit Indonesia ... I did not sneak in."

Nessen suspected that the military was behind his being held
up.

Military spokesman in Aceh, Col. Nachrowi, said the military
had nothing to do with holding up Nessen in Medan, saying that it
was purely the business of the immigration office.

"The military had nothing to do with this matter, but the
information I received is that the immigration office considered
that Nessen had breached rules in entering Aceh, just like when
he breached immigration rules during the martial law period (in
Aceh)," Nachrowi said.

Nessen caused a furor in 2003 when he went to Aceh to report
the war from the side of the Free Aceh Movement. He was even
caught up in a firefight between GAM and TNI forces, in which
scores of TNI soldiers were killed.

Nessen survived the ordeal but ended up in court for
immigration violations. Indonesian authorities then slapped a ban
on Nessen from entering the country.