Aceh rebels to complete fourth phase of disarmament<\/p>\n
Associated Press
\nBanda Aceh<\/p>\n
Former rebels will complete a fourth round of weapons
\ndecommissioning next week as part of a landmark peace deal to end
\n29 years of fighting in Indonesia's tsunami-devastated Aceh
\nprovince, peace monitors said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Under the peace accord signed in August, separatist rebels
\nmust hand over 840 functioning weapons, while the government
\nwithdraws 24,000 police and soldiers. Both commitments must be
\ncompleted by the end of the year.<\/p>\n
Peter Feith, the Dutch diplomat who heads an international
\nmission monitoring the deal, said the rebels are scheduled to
\nsurrender 200 more weapons starting Wednesday at the town of
\nKutacane, as part of a peace deal to end 29 years of fighting.<\/p>\n
\"I am optimistic the disarmament and pulling out of the troops
\nwill end in peace on Dec. 26,\" said Feith.<\/p>\n
The rebels who are popularly known as Free Aceh Movement (GAM)
\nhave now surrendered a total of 698 weapons, the monitoring
\nmission said.<\/p>\n
Maj. Gen. Bambang Darmono, the Indonesian representative
\nwithin the Aceh Monitoring Mission, said the military plans to
\ncomplete its fourth round of troop withdrawals at the end of
\nDecember. He said it will be followed by a distribution of
\neconomic assistance as part of reintegration package to help
\nformer rebels settle back into society during the post-conflict
\nperiod.<\/p>\n
Peace efforts picked up speed after the massive earthquake and
\ntsunami struck the area on Dec. 26, 2004, killing 131,000 people
\nin the province and leaving half a million others homeless.<\/p>\n
Three earlier attempts have failed to end the Aceh war, which
\nhas claimed 15,000 lives.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aceh-rebels-to-complete-fourth-phase-of-disarmament-1447899208",
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