Trial of SIRA activist adjourned

BANDA ACEH (JP): The controversial trial of activist Muhammad Nazar opened on Wednesday at the Medan District Court in North Sumatra with an immediate adjournment because both the defendant and the prosecutor failed to appear.

The chairman of the Aceh Referendum Information Center (SIRA), Muhammad Nazar, was still being held in Banda Aceh on Wednesday, and it was unclear why he was not transferred to Medan for the trial.

Despite the absence of the defendant at the opening session, the courthouse in Medan was heavily guarded.

Minutes after the trial began, judge Azis Syarif, who presided over the session, adjourned the trial indefinitely.

The Supreme Court ruled earlier that the trial be held in Medan despite the objections of the defendant, who wants the trial held in Aceh.

The Banda Aceh District Court said the high-profile trial had to be moved because of a lack of judges and the volatile security situation in Aceh.

Several visitors came to see Nazar on Wednesday in the Banda Aceh prison where he is being held. Among the visitors were representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

According to Nazar, the trial is proof of the government's control over the Acehnese.

"That is a human rights violation. I only want to be tried in the Banda Aceh courts," Nazar told The Jakarta Post.

"There are not enough reasons why the trial should be held in Medan. Banda Aceh is safe, and if there are not enough judges we can bring judges in from other areas."

Nazar was arrested on Nov. 20 on charges of causing public disorder by organizing a mass rally on Nov. 11 and a protest on Aug. 17. During the August protest, a giant banner was displayed accusing Indonesia of being a "neocolonialist".

Nazar is being charged under articles 154 and 155 of the Criminal Code for hostile intentions/treason against the state, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.

Bill

In a separate development, the House of Representatives agreed on Wednesday to deliberate a draft bill on special autonomy for Aceh. The draft bill was proposed by legislators, while a similar draft bill proposed by the government will be used for comparison.

After a closed-door meeting with faction chairmen, House Speaker Akbar Tandjung said deliberation of the Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam draft bill would commence next Tuesday.

"In the meeting, we decided to deliberate the draft bill proposed by legislators," Akbar said.

He said that despite the government having submitted its draft bill earlier than the legislators, the House had a commitment to take people's aspiration into account rather than simply endorse the government's proposals.

Akbar said the government had agreed to withdraw its draft.

The draft bill submitted by legislators would grant Aceh various powers and support the establishment of a recognized provincial community figure to protect Acehnese customs.

The bill would regulate not only self-government in the fields already covered by regional autonomy, but also in the areas of religious, legal and fiscal affairs, along with giving it authority over the provincial police.

Regarding fiscal equity, the bill stipulates that Aceh would receive 80 percent of the revenue generated by natural resources in the province.

A legislator from the United Development Party (PPP) faction, Zain Badjeber, said the draft bill was politically motivated to win the hearts of the Acehnese.

"The House's internal regulations actually say that we should discuss the draft bill that was proposed first. But because of certain political considerations, the government has retracted its proposed draft bill." (50/hdn/dja)