Aceh rebels to complete fourth phase of disarmament

Aceh rebels to complete fourth phase of disarmament

Associated Press Banda Aceh

Former rebels will complete a fourth round of weapons decommissioning next week as part of a landmark peace deal to end 29 years of fighting in Indonesia's tsunami-devastated Aceh province, peace monitors said on Sunday.

Under the peace accord signed in August, separatist rebels must hand over 840 functioning weapons, while the government withdraws 24,000 police and soldiers. Both commitments must be completed by the end of the year.

Peter Feith, the Dutch diplomat who heads an international mission monitoring the deal, said the rebels are scheduled to surrender 200 more weapons starting Wednesday at the town of Kutacane, as part of a peace deal to end 29 years of fighting.

"I am optimistic the disarmament and pulling out of the troops will end in peace on Dec. 26," said Feith.

The rebels who are popularly known as Free Aceh Movement (GAM) have now surrendered a total of 698 weapons, the monitoring mission said.

Maj. Gen. Bambang Darmono, the Indonesian representative within the Aceh Monitoring Mission, said the military plans to complete its fourth round of troop withdrawals at the end of December. He said it will be followed by a distribution of economic assistance as part of reintegration package to help former rebels settle back into society during the post-conflict period.

Peace efforts picked up speed after the massive earthquake and tsunami struck the area on Dec. 26, 2004, killing 131,000 people in the province and leaving half a million others homeless.

Three earlier attempts have failed to end the Aceh war, which has claimed 15,000 lives.