Jakarta – Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Djoko Santoso said Monday that widespread vandalism, intimidation, threats, attacks and even murder could occur during the 2009 polls in Aceh province.

"Conflicts will occur in Aceh as a consequence of the heated political situation there," Djoko said at the House of Representatives during a meeting with legislators in Jakarta on Monday.

Djoko said conflicts would arise both between warring parties and also among the inter-party factions, as well as with the local election commission (KPUD).

The military chief also predicted a soar in the number of crimes being committed, saying they would disturb the election process.

"We will deploy local soldiers to help the police secure election proceedings in Aceh. We have no plan to bring in troops from outside of the province," Djoko said.

"Aceh is at peace now, just like in other provinces," Djoko said, adding that the institution would use the election law to ensure security in the region.

President Susilo Bambang Yu-dhoyono, on an official trip to the province Monday, also underlined the need to keep peace processes in Aceh intact following the 2005 Helsinki agreement between the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

"I hope no party will disturb the Aceh people's decision to enjoy peace and to end the conflict. Therefore, let us protect and continue the peace process in Aceh," the President said.

The Secretary General of the Aceh People's Party (PRA), Thamrin Ananda, however, acknowledged the possibility of conflict.

"We acknowledge there is tension, but we hope incidents like those which occurred earlier this year were unrelated crimes, not of a political motive," Thamrin told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

In October last year a grenade exploded at the residence of Muzakkir Manaf, Aceh Party Chairman and former commander of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

On Feb. 5 this year, a gunmen shot dead two former Aceh rebels and wounded another. All were members of the Aceh party, the political faction started by GAM.

A day before, Secretary of the Aceh Transition Commision (KPA) branch in Bireuen, Dedi Noviandi, was found dead in his car from bullet wounds in Gampong Baru village in Bireuen on Tuesday night.

At the end of January, two armed men raided the KPA's Aceh Besar branch in Kajhu village, killing one person and seriously wounding another. On Jan. 16, a bomb exploded in front of the UKM Hotel in Banda Aceh, destroying three cars, including one belonging to the Aceh Party.

"I am afraid people will resort to criminality to further their interest in the political process, as it could destroy the peace agreements in Aceh," Thamrin said.

He said Aceh was the only province allowed to have local political parties. "If we fail in this experiment with democracy, local party regulations will never be allowed to occur in other provinces," Thamrin said.

According to Hayatullah Khumaini, an Aceh Lawyer, since January 2009 there have been more than 15 violent incidents in the province related to local parties.

"The conditions are getting worse because the police have failed to establish justice and order in Aceh," Hayatullah said. "The recent incidents were probably meant to give the impression that Aceh, with the coming elections, was in a state of insecurity."