Aceh separatists granted amnesty

Rebels freed under the amnesty are asked to fingerprint documents

Indonesia's president has granted an amnesty to members of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (Gam) as part of a peace deal reached earlier this month.

The decree paves the way for the release from prison of as many as 2,000 people convicted of offences related to the separatist movement.

It could also see the possible return of Gam officials who currently live in exile in Sweden.

Those convicted of ordinary criminal activity will not be freed.

BBC Asia analyst Jill McGivering says the measure is an important step forward in the current reconciliation process.

The amnesty is one of the central elements of the peace deal which ended almost three decades of conflict.

Last December's Indian Ocean tsunami devastated large areas of Aceh province and prompted renewed efforts by the rebels and the Indonesian authorities to end the conflict.

Oath demand

The decree was announced ahead of a Wednesday deadline for its signing.

It grants an amnesty to all Gam members in jail or sought by the authorities for activities related to the separatist movement.

Convictions range from minor ones such as suspected Gam sympathies to more serious ones such as involvement in militancy.

Our correspondent says aspects of the prisoner release have already proved controversial, with some MPs demanding that the prisoners take an oath of allegiance to Indonesia.

But Gam supporters have objected on the grounds that in the original agreement the releases were unconditional. The idea seems now to have been dropped.

The amnesty comes days after Indonesia began its withdrawal of troops from the province.

In return, the rebels have agreed to hand in their weapons.

Some 15,000 people have died in more than 29 years of conflict between the government and Gam.