Aceh peace deal fails to end killing

FIGHTING between the Indonesian military and separatist rebels in Aceh province has intensified despite a peace deal to end their 30-year war, both sides said yesterday.

The rebels claimed ten people were killed, while the military also reported some deaths, including civilians.

Government negotiators and representatives of the Free Aceh Movement agreed in Finland at the weekend to sign a peace accord on 15 August to end a conflict that has claimed 15,000 lives - many of them civilians allegedly shot by Indonesian troops for sympathising with the rebellion.

Lasting peace would ease the massive international relief effort in Aceh, still recovering from the Boxing Day earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 130,000 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless.

However, several earlier accords have collapsed amid violations and general distrust on both sides.

Indonesia's information minister, who took part in the Helsinki talks, said he did not expect the latest fighting to affect the peace process.

But a military spokesman said the rebels were taking advantage of the peace move to step up their campaign.