Hopes that an end was in sight to nearly three decades of conflict in the Indonesian province of Aceh are fading. There was more violence over the weekend, just after the Indonesian president had announced a six month extension of the civil emergency in the province. Some observers have criticised the move, and say Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono appears to have stepped back from his commitment to pursuing a peaceful solution.

Presenter/Interviewer: Marion MacGregor

Speakers: Marty Natalegawa, Indonesian government spokesman; Ahmad Human Hamid, Professor of Sociology, Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh; Bachtiar Abdullah, spokesman, Free Aceh Movement (GAM)

MacGregor: After eighteen months of martial law and civil emergency, curfews and censorship have become a part of life for the people of Aceh. And little is about to change after the president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced the emergency would be extended until May next year. Indonesian government spokesman Marty Natalegawa:

Natalegawa: Things have markedly improved in Aceh compared to the recent past in terms of law and order, general security among the public at large. There is a greater degree and sense of normalcy in Aceh. But we are the first to admit that to make these things lasting and sustained we need to continue unfortunately with what we have.

MacGregor: But many Acehnese aren't happy with the move. The provincial government says it recommended Jakarta pursue a dialogue approach. Ahmad Human Hamid a professor of sociology at Syiah Kuala University in Banda Aceh says the extension of the emergency is a way of sidestepping a political solution.

Hamid: It seems to me that this extension is not well prepared by his administration. It is just an extension of the previous one without additional measures to be taken in order to end the emergency after six months.

MacGregor: The government didn't just extend the emergency. It also offered an amnesty to the leaders of the main separatist group, GAM, if they drop their demands for independence. That was rejected by the GAM leaders, who say they won't do any deals until the emergency is lifted. GAM spokesman Bachtiar Abdullah, based in Stockholm, says the group is willing to talk to the government.

Abdullah: We have made it clear to the international community that we have never closed the door for dialogue. But you cannot talk at gunpoint at the same time. In this case, they have to show to us that they have to stop all this military offensive or you know at least we try to stop fighting first before we can start to talk peacefully, so to speak.

MacGregor: The Indonesian government continues to blame GAM for the breakdown of talks.

Natalegawa: We have been at pains and left no stone unturned in pursuing the dialogue approach, but it became obvious that when it counts, when they need to do certain things based on what we have agreed with them previously, and that has immediate bearing on their own strength so to speak, they refuse.

MacGregor: What's the president's long-term plan for Aceh?

Natalegawa: Aceh ... There can be no doubt whatsoever or any question whatsoever in terms of its being part and parcel of the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia. And our vision for Aceh is an Aceh which enjoys a great degree of autonomy and we have the special autonomy in application in Aceh as we have in some other provinces but with Aceh is a singularly exceptional autonomy which they enjoy. We need to make this autonomy work, because we are the first to admit that while on paper it seems to be well and good, perhaps the application may not have been as well as we anticipated or expected. So we need to work hard to make sure that the autonomy that they are legally now enjoying actually materialises in practice and that is our homework now ahead.

MacGregor: And how much of the military and administration are in favour of that plan that you've outlined?

Natalegawa: Well you know, I mean, nowadays in Indonesia, the military, they cannot have their own way or their own say in these sorts of issues. They very much defer to the civilian democratic leadership. So they carry out what the civilian elected government deems that they should carry out in terms of policies.

MacGregor: But many observers aren't so sure. If SBY had full control, they say he would have offered a new paradigm for Aceh. Instead, says Professor Hamid, the recipe seems to be more of the same.

Hamid: It seems to me that he's not a strong president yet. On the evening when he got elected, I mean officially declared that he won the election, he did say he wanted to start opening the dialogue, but then on the other side, I heard that even the movements wanted to start to come back to the table again, but when, where and who is going to mediate, it remains to be seen.

MacGregor: So do you believe that he does genuinely want to see this issue resolved but he's somehow being constrained by forced in the Parliament or the military?

Hamid: I would say yes, I would say yes.