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.