Muharram M. Nur, Banda Aceh – With a peace process in shambles and violence escalating, about 50,000 people rallied in Indonesia's Aceh province Tuesday to demand independence.

Shouting "Freedom," the demonstrators gathered at a university in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, and called on the international community and the United Nations to intervene in the separatist conflict, which has been raging since 1975 and has left thousands of people dead.

"We want independence immediately and the fighting to stop," said Nur Masyithah Ali, one of the speakers. Independent eyewitnesses estimated the crowd at about 50,000.

Independence activists said at least 50 people have been killed leading up to the rally and dozens of others were missing. Police and hospital officials said 30 people were killed. President Abdurrahman Wahid has blamed the army and police for the deaths.

On Sunday, the rebels said they would not take part in the next round of peace talks. Rebel leader Amni Marzuki accused Indonesia's police and military of murdering dozens of civilians in a crackdown against the separatists.

Government representatives had planned to meet with the rebel group, the Free Aceh Movement, in Switzerland on Thursday and Friday. The two sides signed a truce in Geneva in June. But violence has continued, leaving at least 230 people dead since then in the province 1,100 miles northwest of Jakarta.

The decision by the rebels to break off contact with the government is a severe blow to the peace process and a major setback for the reformist-minded Wahid, who is trying to find a political solution to the 25-year insurrection.

At an earlier independence rally on Saturday, about 30,000 people marched through the streets of the capital. Police and soldiers in helicopters and armored vehicles monitored the protest.