Nazar rebuffs accusations

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)