GAM ready to hand in, destroy weapons

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Pidie

In line with the peace deal earlier signed by the Indonesian government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM), GAM members have begun gathering weapons and have said they are ready to hand them over to the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM).

GAM in Pidie, for example, say that they have gathered 30 percent of their weapons at an undisclosed location in Pidie regency and will hand them over on Sept. 15 as required under the peace deal.

Pidie regency is one of the areas where weapons will be handed over, along with Banda Aceh, Bireuen, Lhokseumawe, Meulaboh, Langsa and Tapak Tuan, between Sept. 15 and Sept. 17.

"The weapons have been collected at a GAM base," said Suadi Sulaiman, a GAM leader in Pidie.

GAM members are now waiting for an order from GAM Commander Muzakkir Manaf to actually decommission the weapons, which is widely seen as crucial to the success of the peace deal.

Although they still deeply mistrust the Indonesian Military (TNI), Suadi and his men have already come out of the jungle and rejoined the community.

When in the towns and villages, the former guerrillas do not carry weapons, although these are still kept at a secret location.

According to the terms of the peace deal, at least 840 rifles belonging to GAM are to be destroyed, while in return the TNI will pull some of its forces out of Aceh. Weapons decommission may be carried out employing two methods. First, the weapons may be surrendered at locations designated either by GAM or the AMM, while second, GAM members may surrender weapons individually to the AMM or Indonesian authorities. Some GAM members have already opted for the second method. Since the peace deal was signed on Aug. 15, 19 GAM members have handed over five rifles to the Indonesian authorities in Central and South Aceh regencies.

The weapons included Russian-made AK-47s and U.S.-made M-16- A1s.

Suadi said that he was delighted with the peace deal between Indonesia and GAM.

"Although we are no longer at war, GAM members in Pidie will still keep in touch," said Suadi.

Meanwhile, Nasir, a GAM member, said that it was difficult for him to give up his weapon. "I have surrendered my rifle. This is the first time in a long time that I have been separated from it," he said.

Although nervous about giving up the firearm, he said he hoped the peace deal would lead to lasting peace, ending three decades of bloody conflict in Aceh. "If real peace is achieved, people will no longer have to suffer the consequences of war," he said.