Key test for Aceh peace deal

Key test for Aceh peace deal

GAM rebels must leave their weapons in designated sites

The Indonesian Government and separatist rebels in Aceh are due to exchange detailed demilitarisation plans this week.

Demilitarisation is a crucial element of the peace deal agreed between the two sides in December last year.

The deal was designed to bring an end to the 26-year war between government forces and rebels from the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Thai Major General Tanongsuk Tuvinun, head of the Joint Security Committee (JSC) which oversees the peace deal, said he was anticipating solid plans from both sides "so we can move the process forward as quickly as possible and keep our promises to the people of Aceh."

After an initial two-month "confidence-building period" the demilitarisation phase of the agreement began on 9 February.

But so far neither side has taken firm action to implement it, although they are both said to have been busy finalising plans which the other can accept.

During the five-month demilitarisation phase, members of the Free Aceh Movement have been asked to place their weapons in designated secret locations, which will be subject to random inspections by international monitors.

For its part, the Indonesian military has agreed to relocate its soldiers to defensive positions and replace its paramilitary police units with a normal police force.

"The demilitarisation process needs to move ahead to maintain confidence in the agreement," said David Gorman, head of the Henry Dunant Centre which brokered the peace deal.

Despite the agreement, isolated skirmishes between government forces and GAM rebels still take place in the troubled province of Aceh.

Each side in the separatist war, which has claimed an estimated 10,000 lives since 1976, has accused the other of breaching the deal.

But the number of overall killings has declined dramatically since the agreement took effect.