The Jakarta Post, 6/17/2004 7:53:36 PM
Jakarta wants U.S. to act against exiled Maluku separatist leader
JAKARTA (AFP): The Indonesian government wants the United States to take action
against Maluku pro-independence leader Alexander Manuputty, who is now in living in
exile there, a top minister said Thursday.
"We are hoping for good cooperation from the US government, (for them) to take
action against Alex Manuputty," acting top security minister Hari Sabarno told
journalists.
Sabarno said that Jakarta planned to inform Washington that Manuputty was on
Indonesia's list of wanted people and will send supporting court documents, including
papers from the Supreme Court, to back up its demand.
He did not say what kind of action Jakarta hoped for, though extradition is out of the
question because there is no treaty between the two countries.
Sabarno's comments came after the Swedish government on Tuesday arrested three
exiled Aceh separatist leaders.
Manuputty heads the separatist Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM.) He and his deputy
Sammy Waileruni were arrested in Ambon in April 2002 after encouraging followers to
hoist banned flags of the so-called Republic of South Maluku.
The two were sentenced to three years in prison in January last year on subversion
charges linked to their campaign for independence for the Maluku islands. An appeals
court in May increased their jail terms to four years.
But Manuputty fled to the United States after he and Waileruni were released pending
an appeal filed with the Supreme Court after their detention period expired in early
November.
Manuputty's whereabouts in the United States are unknown but he entered the
country using a tourist visa issued in 2000. (*)
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