ACEH: Billy Nessen likely to be charged

BY IGGY KIM

On June 24, US journalist William Nessen gave himself up to the Indonesian military in the northern Acehnese village of Paya Dua.

Nessen had been accompanying Free Aceh Movement (GAM) fighters since early May, before the outbreak of war. His attempt to provide independent reporting of the war wwas met with hostility by Indonesia's military. Particularly galling was Nessen's figures of civilian and Indonesian military casualties, greatly at odds with official reports.

His demand for free passage out of Indonesia was met with threats of arrest. Some regime officials were calling for Nessen to be treated as a spy. At one point, he was shot at. A campaign by US-based progressive media ZNet and Indonesia Human Rights Network succeeded in putting international pressure on Jakarta.

The Paya Dua rendezvous was subsequently arranged. Nessen was met by a US embassy official and Indonesian officers. The military has threatened to charge Nessen with visa violations, although he entered Indonesia on a journalist visa.

From Green Left Weekly, July 2, 2003.

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From GLW issue 544