Geneva - Indonesia and Aceh rebels took another tentative step toward peace yesterday, extending a truce until January 15th and agreeing to start talks for a political solution to their conflict.
But the head of Aceh's rebel delegation to the talks in Geneva played down any expectation of progress on the political front and accused Indonesia's army of sending more troops to the gas-rich province even as they two sides met.
Human-rights groups estimate at least 2,000 people have been killed and thousands more tortured or raped under Jakarta's rule in Aceh, which is a key prop for Indonesia's creaking economy.