The Jakarta Post, July 16, 2004
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.
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