The Jakarta Post
Thursday, January 15, 2004

Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam

The Aceh High Court has upheld the verdict of a lower court which convicted five former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) peace negotiators of treason and acts of terrorism as reports abound that they will be moved to Nusakambangan prison in Central Java.

Deputy chief of the high court Al Munar Saidi said judges found no reason to accept the appeal of Sofyan Ibrahim Tiba, Nashiruddin bin Ahmed, Amni bin Ahmad Marzuki, Muhammad Usman and Teuku Kamaruzzaman, who were sentenced to between 12 years and 15 in prison earlier this year.

The high court also dismissed the appeal of woman activist Cut Nurasyikin and GAM interpreter Irwandi Yusuf. Nurasyikin had been sentenced to 11 years for her involvement in a rally demanding a referendum in the province in 2000.

"The prison sentences for the convicts have been upheld, with Irwandi's jail term increased to nine years from seven years," Munar said.

The lawyers representing the convicts are considering appealing to the Supreme Court.

"We hope the Supreme Court will have more wisdom in hearing the cases," one of the lawyers, Rufriadi Ramli, said.

All the convicts are serving their sentences at the Aceh Police detention center.

Children of Sofyan and Usman told The Jakarta Post their fathers told them they would be moved to Nusakambangan in the near future.

"Our father told us we have to be prepared for his move either on Sunday or Monday," Oki, one of Sofyan's children, said.

Usman said he had been asked to pack.

"I'm already old, why should I go far away only to serve my sentence? I want to die on my home soil," Usman, 65, said.

The government has revealed a plan to move all convicted rebels who are serving three years or more to Nusakambangan due to the overcrowded condition of prisons in Aceh and to isolate them from their friends, who are still waging a guerrilla war against the Indonesian Military (TNI). Earlier the government dropped a plan to build a special prison for the rebels on an island off the province.

Since the military operation commenced in May last year, over 2,000 rebels have been captured or have surrendered.

But Rufriadi said he had not heard of the plan to move his clients to Nusakambangan, which is housing big-shot criminals.

"So far I have not been notified about it. But if it is true, we will resist because there has been no final decision from the Supreme Court," Rufriadi said.

Meanwhile, TNI claimed it had killed six more GAM rebels in separate operations on Monday and Tuesday, Antara reported.

Spokesman for the military operation in Aceh Lt. Col. Asep Sapari said four separatists were shot dead during separate firefights and raids in four districts of the province.

A local GAM commander and another rebel died during a raid by police and troops in Pineung village, just outside the provincial capital of Banda Aceh.

The military and police troops also seized a grenade launcher, two AK-47 rifles, three other guns and ammunition during the operations.

Sapari said the rebels had shot dead Wahab Saneh, 55, a guard at an elementary school formerly used as a military post in Cot Baro village, Bireuen on Monday night.