Rebels' disarmament extended

Rebels' disarmament extended

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The second phase of disarmament in Aceh has been extended as the
Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has not yet handed over the target
number of weapons needed to be surrendered under the peace deal.

GAM has handed in 182 acceptable weapons during the past three
days and, with 32 more them still under scrutiny, the former
rebel group was still short of the 232 arms the must be handed
over in each of four disarmament phases.

Another 50 weapons were ruled out as they were not considered
functional.

"We had scheduled the second phase of the disarmament to end
within three days, but we will now extend it into the coming
week," Juri Laas, a spokesman for the Aceh Monitoring Mission
(AMM), told AFP on Sunday.

Under the peace accord signed in Helsinki in August by the
Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), the
former rebel group is required to surrender all of its declared
840 weapons in four stages to be completed by Dec. 31.

The Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) that groups peace monitors
from the European Union and member countries of the Association
of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), will then destroy the
weapons after a verification process.

GAM has also agreed to dissolve its military organization and
drop its long-held demand for independence. In return, GAM
members will be awarded an amnesty and have their full political
rights restored.

Former GAM members will also be provided with small plots of
land and money in order to help them reintegrate into society.

In exchange for GAM's disarmament, the Indonesian Military
(TNI) and the National Police must also reduce their presence in
the tsunami-wrecked province. At the end of the disarmament
process, from the current 57,000 soldiers and police stationed in
the province, only 14,700 soldiers and 9,100 police officers will
be allowed to stay.

GAM brought in 279 weapons in the first phase in September,
but 36 weapons were disqualified. The government, meanwhile,
withdrew almost 6,000 soldiers and 2,000 police personnel, and is
due to do the same after the completion of the second phase.

Aceh military commander Maj. Gen. Supiadin A.S. said that
although failing to meet the target, GAM had fulfilled its
promise to hand in the weapons in the second phase.

He added that the withdrawal of noncombatant soldiers would
still take place as scheduled on Nov. 18 as GAM assured it would
make up for the shortage in weapons to be submitted.

"The rest of the weapons most probably will be surrendered in
Sabang on Nov. 18, Supiadin said.

Also witnessing the disarmament process in Bendahara district,
some 30 kilometers from Kuala Simpang, the capital of Aceh
Tamiang regency, were several government officials, including
Minister of Information and Communication Sofyan Djalil, AMM and
GAM representatives.

Thousands of local residents also watched closely the
destruction of the weapons in a palm oil plantation.