GAM to surrender more weapons

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: Former rebels in South Aceh are gathering weapons that they will surrender to foreign monitors as part of a peace deal signed in August.

The head of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in the regency, Tgk. Abrar Muda, said on Wednesday the weapons were being collected with little trouble. He said the arms would be handed over to the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM), but gave no specific date.

"We will pool the weapons before surrendering them to the AMM. The point is that we are ready to submit the weapons in accordance with our leader's order," Abrar said.

Under the peace agreement signed by the government and GAM, the former rebel group must surrender 840 weapons by the end of the year, a process that will take place over four stages.

Discussing the money earmarked to help former rebels reintegrate into society, Abrar said he had distributed Rp 220 million (US$22,000) to former GAM members and the widows and children of deceased rebels.