JP/4/adrian

Verdict for Adrian due March 30

JAKARTA: The South Jakarta District Court is scheduled to hand down a verdict on March 30 for Adrian Herling Waworuntu, a key suspect in a high-profile bank scam involving Rp 1.7 trillion (US$184 billion).

"The verdict was originally planned to be announced on March 28, but because several hearings were delayed, we have decided to read it out on March 30," Judge Roki Pandjaitan, who presided over the trial, said on Thursday.

In Thursday's hearing, Adrian continued denying any wrongdoing in the disbursement of letters of credit worth Rp 1.7 trillion from BNI's Kebayoran Baru branch with fictitious export documents submitted by the Gramarindo Group.

However, the defendant failed to mention who he thought was responsible for the crime.

Prosecutors have demanded that Adrian be sentenced to life, fined Rp 1 billion and instructed to repay state losses of Rp 6 billion. --Antara

;JP;VVA;CD; ANPAa..r.. Scene-Norway-Aceh

JP/4/scene

Norway gives grant for Aceh rebuilding

BOGOR: Norway has provided a grant of 13,700,000 Norwegian krone (around US$2.4 million) for the reconstruction of tsunami- devastated areas in Aceh and North Sumatra provinces.

The fund, extended through the National Mapping and Survey Coordinating Board (Bakosurtanal), would be used to procure high- technology digital cameras for aerial photography over Nias and Simelu islands and the west coast of Aceh.

The aerial photography, expected to start next week, will last for three months, and will be followed by the establishment of an emergency geographic information system (GIS).

Bakosurtanal head Rudolf Matindas and senior advisor of the Norwegian Embassy Fred Nomme signed an agreement on the grant at the former's office in Cibinong, Bogor, on Wednesday. --JP

;JP;CD; ANPAa..r.. Scene-aceh-cemex

JP/4/Scene3

Cemex donates $2.1m to Aceh

JAKARTA: Giant Mexican cement producer Cemex has donated US$2.1 million to SOS Children's Villages programs in Meulaboh, Aceh, which will provide basic infrastructure as well as a nurturing environment that children can call home for the long term.

Every effort made will ensure that siblings are not separated and that children will be brought up based on their respective religions and cultures, Cemex, the world's third largest cement group, said in a press release here on Wednesday.

SOS Children's Villages, a 13-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, is the largest non-governmental, non-denominational child welfare organization in the world, and provides abandoned and abused children with stable, permanent homes and families.

The donation is part of a total basic grant of $3 million that Cemex has allocated for earthquake and tsunami victims in Asia.

Cemex operates in 50 countries, including Indonesia, through its 25.53 percent ownership of publicly-listed PT Semen Gresik, Indonesia's largest cement group.

Cemex's support for the relief programs for tsunami and earthquake victims in Aceh and North Sumatra was initiated last December through the providing of volunteer support via a non- governmental organization in Jakarta and Medan. -- JP

;JP;NFK;CD; ANPAa..r.. Flores-unrest-case

Rights body slammed over Flores violence

JAKARTA: Activists assisting victims of last year's police shooting in Manggarai regency on Flores island have criticized the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) for "not being serious" about the case.

"We are extremely disappointed over the slow response of Komnas HAM to this case .... The commission has given a lot of excuses when asked about its responsibility," said a statement from the Advocacy Team for the Manggarai People on Thursday.

Komnas HAM has launched an investigation into the March 10, 2004, incident that left at least five people dead and 28 others wounded. However, no suspects have been named in the attack.

Police officers opened fire on about 400 villagers who stormed the Manggarai Police station in Ruteng to demand the release of seven villagers being detained there.

According to a preliminary investigation by the police, officers opened fire only after the villagers attacked them.

Activists have blamed the incident on Manggarai Regent Antony Bagur, who barred locals from farming in a disputed protected forest and ordered the arrest of seven owners of a coffee plantation there. --JP