The government signed a peace deal with the Aceh rebel separatists GAM organization. This ends three decades of fighting, that has killed 15,000 people. The government will reduce the number of soldiers in the province from 35,000 to 14,700 and police from 15,000 to 9,100. All future major troop movements in the province must be approved by the  250 man international monitoring force.

The rebels agreed to given up their demand for a separate nation, but the province will have more autonomy. The rebel fighters receive amnesty and give up their weapons. As part of the deal, land will be given to individual rebels to enable them to earn a living. Rebel families will be given about five acres each. Some 1,500 separatist rebels in prison will be released.