Towards peace in Aceh

Tue, 19 Jul 2005

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

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