Banda Aceh – Separatist rebels in Aceh threatened Thursday to blow up a valuable natural gas refinery if Indonesia didn't withdraw troops from the strife-torn province.

Asnawi Mansur, a spokesman for the Free Aceh Movement, said Indonesia runs the risk of increased violence if it doesn't scale back its military presence in the area. "We're not playing games," he said, adding that rebels would target the Arun natural gas refinery in Lhokseumawe.

Muslim separatists want the oil-rich province, located on the western tip of Sumatra island about 1,750 kilometers northwest of Jakarta, to break away from Indonesia.

Acehnese cities resembled ghost towns Thursday, the second day of a general strike called to protest military atrocities in the turbulent province. Strike organizers want the military to withdraw from Aceh.

A military spokesman, Lt. Eddy Heriadi, said rebels had orchestrated the work stoppage to destabilize the region. "They want to frighten society and prevent people from carrying out their daily activities," Heriadi said.

A small group of Acehnese separatists continued their peaceful protest within the Dutch embassy compound in Jakarta, demanding that Holland – Indonesia's former colonial ruler – support the province's independence bid.