Disarmament begins

Disarmament begins

A milestone in Indonesian history was marked on Thursday when
one of the world's longest-running fights for independence was
put to an end in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, with members of the
Free Aceh Movement (GAM) disarming themselves.

Seventy-eight guns were surrendered to foreign peace monitors
in the course of the day in a field in Aceh's provincial capital
of Banda Aceh, the first in a series of weapons hand overs
scheduled until the end of the year.

The disarmament is taking place under a landmark peace
agreement signed one month ago in Helsinki by GAM and the
Indonesian government. -- JP

Photo A: GAM

AP

CHECKING FOR BULLETS: A member of GAM holds a weapon during the
handing over of weapons to the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM), the
first of four batches of weapons that will be surrendered before
the end of December.

Photo B: GAM

AP

GUN COLLECTION: Members of GAM hand over their guns to foreign
observers in a ceremony covered by hundreds of journalists.

Photo C: GAM

Reuters

BURY THE HATCHET: AMM members destroy the rifles of GAM members
in Banda Aceh.

Photo D: GAM

Reuters

SOUVENIRS OF WAR: AMM members gather weapons to be destroyed in
the first phase of the disarmament of GAM rebels.

Photo E: GAM

Reuters

SAYING GOODBYE: A member of GAM checks a weapon before
surrendering it to members of AMM, which officially started on
Thursday its peace monitoring mission in Aceh.