Indonesia on Thursday offered amnesty to separatist leaders in Aceh and promised to help redevelop the province if rebels drop their bid for independence, but a spokesman for the rebels rejected the offer.
The Free Aceh Movement spokesman said the group would continue its fight for an independent homeland on the northern tip of Indonesia's Sumatra island.
Before leaving for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Chile, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono reiterated his government's desire to end the Aceh rebellion that has killed nearly 13,000 people since 1976.
He said the goverment's proposal, which mirrors earlier peace proposals dating back to 1999, would also include increased autonomy for the oil- and gas-rich province and an unspecified amount of economic assistance.
"The government calls on all [rebel] leaders to stop their action and accept the special autonomy policy to develop Aceh," Yudhoyono said. "The country will give them pardons and provide post-conflict reconstruction assistance as part of our efforts to end the conflict in Aceh."
Yudhoyono did not say whether the offer meant the government would revive peace talks with the rebels, which were abandoned in May 2003 after both sides accused the other of violating the six-month pact. A rebel spokesman, Abdullah Zaini, dismissed the offer but called on Yudhoyono's government to return to the negotiating table.
"Nothing can change our struggle for independence," Zaini said in a phone interview from Sweden. "Aceh is our country and it must be returned to the Acehnese people. We hope the new leader in Indonesia will reopen the door for negotiations and bring peace to Aceh."
During his campaign against former President Megawati Sukarnoputri, Yudhoyono promised to bring peace to the province. Successive military operations have failed to end the insurgency.
Foreign negotiators have predicted Yudhoyono may reopen peace talks with the rebels. The 55-year-old retired general was instrumental in arranging a short-lived truce with the Free Aceh Movement in December 2003 when he was security minister.
But the government abandoned the truce in May 2003, launching a military offensive and imposing martial law. Since then, nearly 2,300 suspect rebels and civilians have been killed in the fighting.
Indonesia has since returned most authority to civilians in what is known as a civil emergency. But it still allows the military to impose curfews, set up blockades and detain suspects indefinitely. Foreign journalist are also banned.
On Wednesday, Yudhoyono extended the civil emergency for another six months, saying it was necessary to keep the province secure.