The Jakarta Post, December 12, 2003
Convicted separatist flees to U.S.
Oktovianus Pinontoan, The Jakarta Post, Ambon, Maluku
Maluku separatist leader Alex Manuputty, who was sentenced to three years in prison
for plotting rebellion, has left the province for the United States, according to the
provincial governor.
Alex, 55, remained free after he appealed the verdict that was handed down in
absentia on Jan. 28, 2003. The North Jakarta District Court did not order his
immediate imprisonment.
Maluku Governor Karel Ralahalu expressed concern over the legal authorities' failure
to prevent the separatist leader from leaving the country.
Alex was found guilty of "an act of subversion aimed at dividing the Unitary State of
the Republic of Indonesia".
The verdict was passed down on Alex, chairman of the separatist Maluku Sovereignty
Front (FKM), and co-defendant Semmy Waileruny, 45, despite a protest from their
lawyers who demanded that the trial be postponed because their clients had failed to
show up.
Prosecutors had sought five-year sentences for the pair, who had been on trial since
June 2002 for campaigning for an independent state in the Maluku islands, where
about 6,000 people have been killed in three years of sectarian conflict.
Alex and Semmy were also proven guilty of establishing FKM and hoisting the banned
flag of the Republic of South Maluku (RMS), Padang told the court.
The Maluku governor warned of "new trouble" should no firm action be taken against
Alex.
"This is what we are concerned about. Therefore, we ask the central government to
pay attention to it. Never allow a new conflict to happen in Maluku," he said on
Wednesday in Ambon after a meeting with Aloysius L. Madja, a visiting senior official
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ralahalu urged the central government to extradite Alex to force him to face his legal
process.
"FKM and the RMS are our problem and an international concern. We remember the
case of Ramos Horta (who had campaigned for East Timor's independence from
abroad). So, East Timor managed to break away from Indonesia," he added.
The governor said he was worried about the situation, particularly if the whereabouts of
Alex and his activities in the United States were not monitored by Indonesian officials
there. "Let alone if he goes to the Netherlands", he exclaimed.
In response, Aloysius said that Alex's case should be dealt with by the Attorney
General's Office and the court.
"The case of Alex Manuputty should be reported directly to prosecutors. But
concerning the request for his extradition, we need to look into his legal status. If it is
clear, then we can take further steps against him," Aloysius said.
Alex and Semmy were arrested in Ambon on April 17, 2002 after encouraging
followers of the small and poorly supported FKM to hoist banned separatist flags.
The group wants the government to allow a referendum on self-determination akin to a
UN-supervised plebiscite held in East Timor in 1999.
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