| Looks like this one's winding down, until somebody decides he needs Dire Revenge™... |
The Indonesian Government will grant amnesty to rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) who have been jailed or arrested for their political views. GAM began a guerrilla war in 1976, seeking independence from Indonesia. Since then, about 15,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the oil-rich province.
| Just a coincidence they happen to be oil rich, of course... Just a coincidence. |
"The Indonesian Government will grant amnesty for them 15 days after the memorandum of understanding is signed on August 15, 2005, in Helsinki, Finland,'' the state-run news agency Antara quoted Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaludin as saying. Their rights as Indonesian citizens will also be restored as soon as they receive amnesty, the minister said. Mr Awaludin, however, stressed that amnesty will only be granted to those who have been jailed or arrested for treason. "Members of GAM who were involved in criminal cases will not be granted amnesty,'' he said. Currently, there are 2,053 GAM members serving prison terms for treason, the Minister said. |