Sentence demanded for minister

AMBON, Maluku: The prosecution demanded on Friday that the Ambon District Court sentence the Reverend Agustinus Sahertian, alias Avner, to two years in prison for attempting to incite people.

Avner was arrested by police on April 27 on Jl. Rijali for distributing leaflets to passersby. The leaflets urged people to wage war against the Indonesian Military and the hard-line Laskar Jihad group. According to the prosecution, the move could have prolonged unrest in Ambon.

The minister distributed the leaflets on April 25, after a riot erupted. The riot broke out after the Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM) separatist group rallied in the city to mark the 54th anniversary of the South Maluku Republic (RMS). The rally sparked anger among Muslims, who claimed the police were unable to contain the separatist group, whose members are predominantly Christian. -- JP