Towards peace in Aceh

Towards peace in Aceh

It would be naive to foreshadow peace prematurely in any
conflict, no matter how hopeful the signs...But what progress has
been achieved is historic. GAM is no longer demanding
independence; by accepting autonomy within Indonesia it has kept
Jakarta talking and brought a peace deal in sight for the first
time.

The deal, say Indonesian officials, is 90 percent done. What
may delay it is GAM's demand to form a political party.

The pressure must be kept up. Successfully rebuilding Aceh's
shattered communities depends on many factors, not least their
liberation from the grinding exhaustion of civil war.
-- The Sydney Morning Herald