Nazar rebuffs accusations

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Aceh Referendum Information Center (SIRA) chief Muhammad Nazar on trial for sedition, defiantly rejected all charges against him and proclaimed in court that he had not committed acts against the state.

Wearing a jacket with pictures of the Indonesian flag, the banner of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the word referendum, Nazar demanded that Banda Aceh District Court drop all charges against him.

Nazar is being charged under Articles 154 and 155 of the Criminal Code for showing hostile intentions against the state.

Nazar was arrested on Nov. 20, 2000 after organizing a mass pro-independence rally in August in the province.

Three of his lawyers also took turns to read out the defense plea, accusing the court of failing to adhere to procedures on ascertaining that harm had been done through Nazar's actions.

He said the court had failed to produce a plaintiff, either President Abdurrahman Wahid or his representative, to find out whether harm had been done to them as a direct result of his actions.

The prosecutors, however, persisted in demanding Nazar be jailed for one year.

The court will resume on Wednesday.

In Jakarta, about 600 SIRA members protested outside the UN office calling for intervention, which includes sponsoring a vote on self-determination in Aceh.

The protesters, who condemned Nazar's trial and Jakarta's plans to launch limited military operations in Aceh, later went to the Dutch embassy.

Meanwhile Antara reported on Tuesday that the missing Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle legislator, who comes from Aceh, O.K. Ibrahim, had been returned safely to his family after being held hostage for nine days by unidentified gunmen.

"He was released by the group at 12 p.m. Legislator O.K. Ibrahim was abducted during a raid by these men and held hostage but has been treated well," Teuku Bachrum Manyak, deputy speaker of the Aceh provincial Council, said.(edt/dja)