GAM to complete 4th phase of disarmament

GAM to complete 4th 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 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.