Jakarta, IO – As many as 29 convicted terrorists in Ambon, Maluku have sworn an oath of allegiance to the Republic of Indonesia by reciting Pancasila and kissing the national flag.
I Wayan Sukarena, head of anti-terror squad Densus 88 task force in Maluku, said the convicts had been reeducated at the Maluku Merah Putih Foundation under the auspices of Densus 88, per CNNIndonesia, Saturday (19/8).
During the commemoration of the 78th anniversary of Indonesia independence the government through the Law and Human Rights Ministry (Kemenkumham) granted remissions to a number of prisoners.
Bakti Utomo, a former convict who is also chairman of the Maluku Merah Putih Foundation, said he now feels more like a true citizen after pledging the oath of allegiance.
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“We feel like we are part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. We can also shed the stigma we received from the society thus far,” he said..
The government this year granted remissions to 157 convicts and 26 of them were immediately freed from prison. (un)