The Jakarta Post, 1/29/2003 6:09:46 PM
Christian separatist leader says verdict "unconstitutional"
AMBON, Maluku (JP): Alex Manuputy, a Christian separatist leader in the islands of
Maluku, here on Wednesday described a court's decision to jail him for subversion as
"unconstitutional".
"The verdict was illegal and fatally wrong because the government failed to provide him
and his co-defendant, Samuel "Sammy" Waileruny, with travel expenses to attend the
trial in Jakarta," Alex, the chairman of the Maluku Sovereignty Front, told AFP.
Alex said they wanted to attend but local officials did not provide us with any financial
help. "Therefore, the verdict is unconstitutional because the state failed to provide us
with expenses to travel to Jakarta to attend our own trial."
Manuputty, 55, and Waileruny, 45, were sentenced in the North Jakarta District Court
on Tuesday for campaigning for an independent state in the Maluku islands. They
returned to Ambon two weeks ago after their detention period expired before the court
could pass a verdict.
They had asked for 210 million rupiah (23,300 US dollars) to cover their living
expenses in Jakarta during the remainder of the trial.
The pair were sentenced to three years in jail for carrying out "an act of subversion
with the intention of dividing the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia."
They were arrested in Ambon in April last year after encouraging their followers to
hoist a banned separatist flags.
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