Maluku separatists jailed for 16 months

Maluku separatists jailed for 16 months

M. Azis Tunny and Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Maluku/Bandung

The Maluku District Court sentenced on Tuesday nine members of
the separatist South Maluku Republic (RMS) movement to 16 months
in jail for rebellion against the government.

Presiding Judge Lodewijk Tiwery said the defendants had
attended "secret meetings" aimed at consolidating the
secessionist movement as well as strengthening the Maluku
Sovereignty Front (FKM), a group affiliated to the RMS.

The meetings were usually held on Mondays and Saturdays at a
certain place in Alang village to prepare for the RMS's
anniversary on April 25 next year, when they planned to hoist
separatist flags, he added.

During the meetings, the defendants prayed for FKM leader Alex
Manuputty and his deputy Samuel "Semmy" Waileruny in order for
them to be able to "free Maluku from the Unitary Republic of
Indonesia".

Alex fled to the United States before his appeal against his
conviction had been dismissed by the Supreme Court. Along with
Semmy, he had been sentenced in early January by the North
Jakarta District Court to three years in prison for plotting
rebellion.

The Jakarta High Court upheld the sentences on the two
separatists.

However, Maluku Police arrested Semmy on Monday and sent him
to Jakarta to serve his three-year-jail term.

The nine defendants sentenced on Tuesday were Fredrik
Sabandar, Simon Halawane, Nataniel Manuhua, Josua Manuhua, Ruben
Manuhua, Daniel Patty, Lukas Patty, Anthony Nussy and Dominggus
Sohilait.

"The defendants have been proven guilty of involvement in a
conspiracy against the lawfully established government as
stipulated in Article 110 (1) of the Criminal Code," Tiwery told
Tuesday's hearing.

"The defendants knew that what they did was wrong, but they
went ahead nevertheless. Their activities could have led to
unrest among local people and triggered national disintegration,"
the judge added.

The defendants said the so-called "secret meetings" were just
routine prayer meetings of the sort regularly held by local
Christians. But they admitted that the prayers were led by Yusuf
Sapakoly, the RMS commander in Alang village.

Nevertheless, they had yet to decide on whether to appeal
against the verdict.

During the trial, the judges were presented with evidence in
the form of an SKS-rifle, a Colt pistol and 50 rounds of
ammunition.

Despite the fact that Interpol has no jurisdiction over
political cases, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on
Tuesday he would ask nevertheless ask Interpol to help find Alex.

"We are now seeking cooperation with Interpol and are
collecting data to support our efforts. We will bring him (Alex)
back to Indonesia," he told journalists in Bandung, West Java.

Alex is believed to be seeking support in the United States
for the pro-independence campaign in Maluku.

Da'i also said the police were investigating how Alex, who was
subject to a travel ban, managed to leave the country.

"We will check with the immigration office to find out whether
Alex used authentic documents to go abroad or not," he said.