JAKARTA, April 6 (IslamOnline.net) - The Indonesia Human Rights Campaign, TAPOL, charged that the presence of heavy military troops in West Papua and the continued enforcement of martial law in Aceh have hampered fair and free parliamentary elections in the provinces.

"A free and fair outcome to today's Indonesian national elections has been rendered impossible by ongoing military operations in Aceh and West Papua," TAPOL spokesman, Paul Barber, said in a press statement sent to IslamOnline.net on Tuesday, April 6.

Millions of Indonesians cast their ballots Monday, April 4, to elect a new the 550-seat parliament and local legislatures.

Barber regretted that the poll proceeded under martial law in Aceh and heightened military activity in West Papua.

A total of 21,000 troops have been deployed reportedly to provide security for the elections and severe restrictions have been placed on election monitors.

The independence-seeking Free Aceh Movement (GAM) was denied participation in the elections after the imposition of martial law on May 19, which rendered the movement illegal.

Most GAM members and leaders are now in hiding while some have been eliminated or captured during the almost one-year military campaign.

TAPOL said the respect of basic rights is an essential pre-condition of free and fair elections, asserting that since the enforcement of martial law the people of Aceh have been denied their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly.

"The military have imposed severe restrictions on the civilian population and the media. Already around 2,000 people have been killed since the start of martial law and widespread human rights violations have been perpetrated," said the human rights watchdog.

"Similarly repressive conditions exist in West Papua where increased military activity has been attributed to a systematic campaign by the military to destabilize the territory and crackdown on independence activists," TAPOL underlined.

The Indonesian government last month said elections in Aceh would be fair and free and that rights groups would be allowed to visit the province during the polls.

However, the TAPOL said Tuesday that the military forced people in Aceh to vote and dozens were arrested for refusing to leave their villages or homes to cast their ballots.

"There is widespread fear that those who do not vote will be regarded by the military as sympathizers of the GAM. The atmosphere of fear has been intensified by the activities of Military-backed militia groups," said Barber.

"A ban on Acehnese and West Papuan national parties disenfranchises vast numbers of independence supporters who are being denied a democratic outlet for their aspirations," said the rights group.

However, the government denied that authorities in Aceh have blocked the candidature of several people who have been critical of the martial law.

The latest reports in Aceh indicate that at least six people were killed and seven wounded in escalating violence in the war-torn province.

In a press statement, the military claimed the dead were "rebels".

GAM has been fighting for independence of Aceh province since 1976.

Over 10,000 people, largely innocent civilians, have been killed since then mostly during military campaigns.

Aceh, which has a population of 4.1 million, is a vastly Muslim province, rich in resources.