Jakarta – Two ethnic groups which clashed for weeks in West Kalimantan province leaving scores of dead have signed a peace treaty.

"The peace document was signed yesterday in front of the military headquarters in a peace ceremony attended by thousands of people," said Captain Nurhamdani of the military headquarters in Pontianak, in West Kalimantan.

Capt Nurhamdani said the two sides, the indigenous Dayak community and migrants from Madura, an island off the coast of Java, had pledged to end their dispute.

Syarif Ibrahim Algadri, a professor at the local Tanjung Pura University who was active in the peace process, said the two sides promised to uphold national unity and avoid taking justice in their own hands in the future.

"I am very happy that peace between the Dayak and Madurese has been reached," he said.

The agreement was a continuation of a peace pledge signed by 23 ethnic groups in the province, including the two warring factions, on 15 February.

But a Dayak source in Pontianak cast doubt on whether the peace accord would last, saying it had been imposed on them and both sides were given only 24 hours to study the pledge before signing.

"The document is something that did not come from the warring factions but one that was imposed from above" he said.

"How can it be binding when it is also signed by people not directly involved in the conflict."

The document was also signed by West Kalimantan Governor Aspar Aswin, Kalimantan military commander Major-General Namuri Anum and chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights Munawir Sjadzali.