International   

Aceh rebels to drop demand

Jakarta: Separatist rebels in the tsunami-ravaged Indonesian province of Aceh will drop their demand for independence if Jakarta withdraws its security forces, allows them to form a political party and eventually holds a referendum on any settlement, a member of their delegation at newly-reconvened peace talks told the Guardian on Monday. This is the first time in the 29-year history of the Free Aceh Movement (Gam) that separation from Indonesia or a vote on independence has not been a prerequisite to any resolution of the conflict, said Damien Kingsbury, an Australian political adviser to the Gam negotiators. Indonesian officials welcomed the concession, but said some of the associated demands were unrealistic.

— © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

Chalabi withdraws from race
Bush, Chirac bury the hatchet
Australian cover for Japanese troops in Iraq
Al-Qaeda leader in Russia killed
Iran not averse to joining SAARC
A Cuban festival of puffs
Aceh rebels to drop demand
Cataloguing Malcolm X
Submarine robot lost in sea
Blasts hit Nepal schools
Doubts over Bush's bid for democracy

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu