Trials of FKM activists begin; OPM chief charged
Trials of FKM activists begin; OPM chief charged
M. Aziz Tunny and Nethy Dharma Somba, Ambon/Jayapura
Ambon District Court began hearings on Thursday for two
separatist leaders in Maluku, while prosecutors in another
troubled province, Papua, demanded a five-year term for a local
secessionist suspect.
Oly Manuputty, the wife of Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM)
leader Alex Manuputty, who fled to the United States, and another
senior activist, Moses Tuanakotta, stood trial separately on
charges of treason.
Prosecutors told the trials, presided over by the same judge,
Iim Nurahim, that the two defendants were guilty of backing the
FKM's struggle for Maluku's independence from Indonesia.
Oly and Moses are charged under Article 106 of the Criminal
Code on treason, which carries a minimum sentence of life or 20
years' imprisonment, they added.
Prosecutor Fauzi Marasabessy said that Oly had since 2001 been
a member of the FKM, founded by the South Maluku Republic (RMS)
movement, and actively participated in RMS 54th anniversary
celebrations on April 25, 2004.
The event led to three days of renewed violence in the Maluku
capital Ambon, in which at least 41 were killed.
"The defendant (Oly) used her house as the FKM headquarters,
where authorities seized 35 documents on the organization as
evidence," Fauzi said.
Oly also made phone contact with Alex twice a week to discuss
the situation in Ambon and her FKM activities, as well as those
of her husband in the United States.
Separately, prosecutor J. Maspaitella said Moses served as the
FKM secretary-general and led the April 25 celebration. "The
defendant stated his intention to build a sovereign and
independent Maluku. Such a crime is against the law," he added.
Moses and Oly were arrested during the April 25 commemoration
after chairing a separatist flag-hoisting ceremony at her house,
which was also raided by police officers.
Alex's conviction of separatism by lower courts was upheld by
the Supreme Court last year. However, he managed to flee to the
United States.
He may continue to evade incarceration as Indonesia has no
extradition treaty with the U.S.
The peaceful trials were adjourned until next week. Oly's
hearing will resume on Monday, and Moses' next Thursday.
Meanwhile, three prosecutors -- Julius D. Teuf, Maskel
Rambolangi and Agung Wibowo -- urged Jayapura District Court on
Thursday to sentence Yance Hembring, the self-styled leader of
the Free Papua Movement (OPM), to five years in prison on treason
charges.
The defendant was proven to have been involved in plotting
treason at meetings last November and on Jan. 21 in Nimbokrang,
Jayapura regency, and establishing an OPM secretariat there, they
said.
Yance also disseminated information on strategies for Papua to
separate from Indonesia via a referendum, the prosecutors added.
The defendant claimed that everything he had done was lawful
because the OPM was a representative of the state of West Papua
Republic and did not require any agreement or permission from the
Indonesian government.
The trial commenced on March 25 with eight witnesses
testifying against and for Yance, who was arrested by Jayapura
Police in January.
He claimed to have been elected OPM leader during a meeting in
1999 by Papuan people in a refugee camp in Papua New Guinea.