Just over a week ago, the people of Indonesia's western province, Aceh, celebrated the second anniversary of the end of thirty years of separatist hostilities. Now, the chief of the region's military has given his personal assessment of the former rebels, saying they're no longer considered an enemy of the Indonesian Defence Force.

Presenter – Adam Connors Speaker – Naimah, lecturer at Banda Aceh's Syah Kuala University.

Connors: Speaking at a military function in the western province of Aceh on Wednesday, the regional chief of Indonesia's military command, Major General Supiadin, said that former rebels in the Free Aceh Movement – or GAM – are no longer the military's enemy. He asked, in unequivocal terms, that former GAM rebels and the TNI be united and keep the peace. Major General Supiadin said this was necessary to create security and stability for the sake of the Acehnese people, and their properity.

It's a far cry from the situation of just over two years ago when the Indonesian government and GAM signed a landmark peace deal in Helsinki to put an end to thirty years of separatist hostilities. Then, the mutual distrust was still simmering. But as lecturer Naimah, from Banda Aceh's Syah Kuala University says, the people of Aceh, the military and former rebels, are normalising relations amongst themselves, on all levels.

Naimah: Their relationship is now becoming very good, within any activity. Like one week ago when we had a ceremony for Helsinki, we can see very clearly that the TNI and former rebels can talk together and know they can sit together and think for the program of integration.

Connors: The peace in Aceh now appears to be holding, with former GAM negotiator Irwandi Yusuf as the first democratically-elected governor overseeing the province, and the Indonesian Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla, visiting two weeks ago and applauding the significant progress in Aceh. Naimah says despite the new calm, the Acehnese are watching with a wary eye as the former rebels make inroads into society's institutions.

Naimah: I don't think [there] is clearly any problem between TNI and former rebels. But what I can see is that the former rebels are thinking for their existence in society. For example they are sticking for their role in many many institutions so they can also play their role very effectively.

Connors: Radio Australia contacted the former government representative of the Aceh Monitoring Mission, General Bambang Damono, who said he firmly stands by the comments made by Major General Supiadin – that, as he says, Aceh may well be "moving toward eternal peace".