Jakarta – Separatist rebels in Indonesia's Aceh province urged Acehnese on Wednesday to vote in next month's elections and said they would not try to disrupt the polls.

Ishak Daud, the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) operations commander in East Aceh, said the security presence is so intense that he expects all electors will cast ballots to avoid physical reprisals.

"We urge them to vote rather than be beaten," Daud told AFP in Jakarta by satellite telephone, adding he does not think GAM will seek to disrupt the polls.

Acehnese will vote in the April 5 poll under martial law, which was imposed last May when the military launched an all-out offensive to wipe out the rebels.

Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya, the martial law administrator, however said Tuesday GAM has started trying to terrorise people to disrupt the vote.

He accused rebels of kidnapping a South Aceh chairman of the National Mandate Party and said they might threaten people who want to vote.