Landmarks in road to peace

Dec. 4, 1976 - Hassan di Tiro declares Aceh's independence and establishes the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

1990-1999 - Aceh is designated a military operations area (DOM).

May 12, 2000 - The Joint Understanding on Humanitarian Pause is signed by the Indonesian government and GAM in Davos, Switzerland, to pave the way for peace in Aceh.

Jan. 6-10, 2001 - Govt and GAM representatives agree to a one- month moratorium on violence, facilitated by the Henry Dunant Centre (HDC) for Humanitarian Dialog in Switzerland.

July 19, 2001 -- House passes bill granting special autonomy to Aceh, with 70 percent of oil and gas revenue going to the province and 30 percent to the central government.

Dec. 9, 2002 - Indonesia, GAM sign the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement at the HDC headquarters in Geneva.

Feb. 15, 2003 - A Joint Security Committee to prepare the mechanism for demilitarization ends in deadlock in Banda Aceh.

May 17, 2003 - Last-ditch peace talks with GAM are held in Tokyo, Japan, while the govt issues a final warning for the rebels to renounce their independence aspirations and accept special autonomy.

May 18, 2003 - GAM rejects Indonesia's demands to drop its quest for independence, accept autonomy and lay down its arms.

May 19, 2003 - President Megawati Soekarnoputri imposes martial law in Aceh.

May 18, 2004 - Govt lifts martial law and replaces it with a state of civil emergency.

Dec. 26, 2004 - Earthquake-triggered tidal waves devastate large areas of Aceh, killing 129,000 people, leaving 30,000 missing and hundreds of thousands homeless.

Jan. 28, 2005 - Indonesia, GAM hold peace talks in Helsinki, Finland, facilitated by the Crisis Management Initiative (CMI).

May 18, 2005 - Govt lifts the civil emergency in Aceh.

July 1, 2005 - House approves new funds to support some 35,000 soldiers on duty in Aceh.

July 20, 2005 - President Susilo orders the Indonesian Military to stop its offensive against Aceh rebels ahead of the Aug. 15 signing of the peace deal.

Aug. 15, 2005 - Govt, GAM in Helsinki sign the peace deal to end three decades of conflict that has claimed 15,000 lives.

From various sources