Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Indonesia's six-week-old crackdown on Aceh's separatist rebels is as bad as any experienced during the worst years of the military operation conducted under the rule of former President Suharto, residents say. But the bloodshed has done little to dent the separatist movement or to capture the "hearts and minds" of the Acehnese people.

Officially, Indonesia is not waging a military operation against the rebels. It is just restoring security and trying to bring the lawless province back under the control of the government.

But for Aceh's residents, Jakarta's latest attempts to crack down on the separatists and to reduce their stranglehold over the province is every bit as aggressive as during the worst years of the nine-year military operation conducted during Mr Suharto's rule. Disappearances are common and civilians, far from being spared the violence, usually end up as its victims.

And the government's "hearts and minds" campaign – which includes economic-assistance programmes as well as respect for human rights – is also failing, Acehnese non-governmental groups say.

In Central Aceh, which only a few months ago enjoyed calm, a businessman complains that increasing troop numbers have escalated the violence. "Why don't they follow proper procedures? Are they members of this country who have to follow Indonesian laws or are they above the law?" he asked.

Despite strict rules of engagement – including those which instruct troops in heavily-populated areas to minimise civilian casualties – the businessman claims soldiers act with impunity. They harass, intimidate and sometimes abduct civilians with little fear of being prosecuted.

Military commanders paint an entirely different picture of their operations. They say their operations are restricted and they have no authority to pursue rebels into the villages.

Military spokesman Abrori Abbas, who is based in the town of Lhokseumawe, said the main task of the troops was to secure strategic installations and to restore peace to Aceh. He claims that, in North Aceh, the joint police and military campaign has been relatively successful.

Security around the Exxon Mobil oil refinery, which suspended operations in March amid security concerns, has improved, he said. Shops and other businesses in Lhokseumawe have reopened in recent days, he added. Government offices, which stopped operating for several months after the rebels claimed to have established a "shadow government" in the area, have also reopened.

Diplomats doubt the efficacy of the military's campaign, pointing to a recent offensive aimed at netting rebel commander Abdullah Syafi'e. It failed to capture him, but led to several civilian deaths.