In the forest 20 kilometers west of Lhokseumawe, Aceh, Free Aceh Movement (GAM) troops were seen relaxing. Some were reading local papers of the Thursday, February 6, 2003 edition, while cracking jokes now and again. There were no AK-47s, the automatic long-barrel guns they used to shoulder. "This is how we spend our ceasefire days," said a tall, slim GAM soldier.

No fear of a sudden assault by Indonesian troops—military or police mobil