1998 East Java ninja scare: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|East Java killings of suspected sorcerers}}

{{refimprove|date=May 2018}}

The '''1998 East Java ninja scare''' was an outbreak of [[mass hysteria]]violence in [[East Java]], [[Indonesia]],. in which theThe local population believed they were being targeted by sorcerers, and in response, unidentified vigilantes, which people knowndescribed as [[ninja|ninjas]] due to their all-black clothing, whoattacked wereand blamedkilled forresidents mysteriousthey killingssuspected ofto be sorcerers, including religious leaders[[Clergy|clerics]]. byIn assassinsresponse dressedto these killings, some people in blackthe area attacked and killed people they suspected to be ninjas.<ref Asname=":1">{{Cite manynews as|date=1998-11-03 150|title=E Java mob lynches three policemen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MbUpAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22east+java%22+ninja&pg=PA4&article_id=2764,556298 |work=The Nation |pages=A6 |agency=[[Agence France-300Presse]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite “sorcerers”news were|date=1998-12-29 killed|title='Ninja' betweenkillings Februarydefy andeasy Octoberanalysis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yvtkAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22east+java%22+ninja&pg=PA7&article_id=4125,6785997 with|work=The theTelegraph-Herald |pages=7A |agency=Knight Ridder News Service}}</ref> The outbreak began in February, with most of the deaths occurring between August and September.<ref name=":0">{{cite webnews |last=Kristof |first=Nicholas D. |date=20 October 1998 |title=Fears of Sorcerers Spur Killings in Java |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/20/world/fears-of-sorcerers-spur-killings-in-java.html |titlework=FearsThe ofNew SorcerersYork SpurTimes Killings in Java|firstpublisher=Nicholas D.|last=Kristof|date=20 October 1998|publisher=|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref>

The killings largely ended by the end of 1998; however, another group of similar killings occurred in December 1999.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1999-12-27 |title=Ninja-style murder spree returns to Indonesia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K2pTAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22east+java%22+ninja&pg=PA87&article_id=6382,6462271 |work=Daily News |agency=[[Reuters]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Heriwati |first=Retno |date=2000-01-06 |title=Ninja killers haunt Indonesia again |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DHRTAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22east+java%22+ninja&pg=PA31&article_id=6226,432997 |work=Daily News |pages=10 |agency=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> According to the [[National Commission on Human Rights]], 307 people were killed during the scare in total: 194 people in [[Banyuwangi Regency|Banyuwangi]], 108 in [[Jember Regency|Jember]], and seven in [[Malang]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Yulisman |first=Linda |date=2023-08-01 |title=25 years after bloody witch hunts in East Java, cases remain unresolved |url=https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2023/08/01/25-years-after-bloody-witch-hunts-in-east-java-cases-remain-unresolved.html |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=[[The Jakarta Post]] |language=en}}</ref>

==Background==

{{See also|Modern witch hunts#Indonesia}}

According to Jason Brown, [[Banyuwangi Regency|Banyuwangi]] is a centre of belief in black magic in Indonesia.<ref name=":4" /> Black magic practiced in Banyuwangi ismay be a mix of [[animist]] beliefs and [[Islamic mysticism]] which developed from inter-religious conflict during the 16th century Mataram court period.<ref name=":4" /> Belief in black magic, or [[Dukun|dukun santet]], is widespread in the area.<ref name=":4">{{cite web |last=Brown |first=Jason |date=30 July 2007 |title=The Banyuwangi murders |url=http://www.insideindonesia.org/the-banyuwangi-murders |titlewebsite=TheInside BanyuwangiIndonesia}}</ref> murdersSuspected -sorcerers Insidewere also killed in Indonesia|website=insideindonesia in 1965.org}}<ref name=":2" /> In villages around Banyuwangi, local people killed suspected sorcerers intermittently for decades before the larger-scale violence in 1998.<ref name=":3" />

Indonesia saw other political and economic tensions during 1998, including the [[May 1998 riots of Indonesia|May riots]] and the [[Fall of Suharto|resignation]] of President [[Suharto]].<ref name=":2" />

According to Jason Brown, [[Banyuwangi Regency|Banyuwangi]] is a centre of black magic in Indonesia. Black magic practiced in Banyuwangi is a mix of animist beliefs and Islamic mysticism which developed from inter-religious conflict during the 16th century Mataram court period. Belief in black magic, or [[Dukun|dukun santet]], is widespread in the area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.insideindonesia.org/the-banyuwangi-murders|title=The Banyuwangi murders - Inside Indonesia|website=insideindonesia.org}}</ref>

==Events==

In early 1998, residents in Kaligondo, Banyuwangi Regency became concerned with sorcery after multiple cattle became sick and died.<ref name=":2" /> Local resident Soemarno Adi was suspected and was lynched on 4 February.<ref name=":2" /> His death sparked a number of other killings by vigilante groups.<ref name=":2" /> Some vigilantes dressed in all black, leading to them being called ninjas.<ref name=":2" /> Most victims were ordinary civilians, local leaders, or clerics affiliated with [[Nahdlatul Ulama]].<ref name=":2" />

In response, communities targeted by the sorcerer killings began to attack and kill suspected ninjas, many of whom were people out after dark or without identity documents. The killing of suspected ninja spread to [[Central Java|Central]] and [[West Java]], although no killings by suspected ninja had been reported in those regions. By November, police in Central Java had detained around 200 mentally ill people, as they were at risk of being attacked if they were out at night and unable to explain themselves.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1998-11-08 |title=Businessmen lynched by Central Java mob |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-kkdAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22east+java%22+ninja&pg=PA24&article_id=5073,2428743 |work=The Nation |agency=[[Agence France-Presse]]}}</ref>

The killings began in [[Banyuwangi Regency]] in February. Organized assassins, dressed in black from which they gained the name ninja, began attacking leaders affiliated with [[Nahdlatul Ulama]]. Local people began to hunt down and kill anyone who they believed to be ‘ninjas’ in response. About five people were killed between February and July. In the month of August, 40 people were killed, and in September the number rose to 80.

On 18 October 1998, five men were killed in the Turen area.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/20/world/fears-of-sorcerers-spur-killings-in-java.html|title=Fears of Sorcerers Spur Killings in Java|first=Nicholas D.|last=Kristof|date=20 October 1998|publisher=|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> One was beaten to death, one was burned and three were beheaded. On 20 October 1998, three killings occurred. Two had been seized from a police car by vigilantes who reportedly slit their throats, and; the third man was thebeheaded manand whosehis head was paraded around on a stake.<ref>{{cite web|urlname=https"://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/20/world/fears-of-sorcerers-spur-killings-in-java.html|title=Fears0" of Sorcerers Spur Killings in Java|first=Nicholas D.|last=Kristof|date=20 October 1998|publisher=|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref>

On 24 October at Gondanglegi, [[Malang Regency]], another five suspected ninjas were killed by villagers with one victim was burnt to death.<ref>{{cite web|title= Hancur Lebur Gara-gara 'Hantu' Ninja|url= https://news.detik.com/x/detail/investigasi/20190206/Hancur-Lebur-Gara-gara-Hantu-Ninja/|website=Detik X|date=6 February 2019|language=Indonesian|access-date=27 June 2025}}</ref> On 31 October and 1 November, three policemen were killed in [[Madura]] after being suspected to be ninjas.<ref>{{Citation |last=Thufail |first=Fadjar I. |title=Ninjas in Narratives of Local and National Violence in PostSuharto Indonesia |date=2015-09-14 |work=Beginning to Remember: The Past in the Indonesian Present |pages=150–167 |editor-last=Zurbuchen |editor-first=Mary S. |url=https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9780295998763-011/pdf |access-date=2025-08-10 |publisher=University of Washington Press |language=en |doi=10.1515/9780295998763-011/pdf |isbn=978-0-295-99876-3}}</ref> On 31 October, one man in north [[Jakarta]] was attacked on suspicions of being a ninja, marking the first time the scare had impacted Jakarta.<ref name=":1" />

On 24 October at Gondanglegi, [[Malang Regency]], another five suspected ninjas were killed by villagers. One victim was burnt to death while another one was beheaded.

===Local press reports===

On 1 October 1998, the ''Surabaya Post'' reported “a"a rumour about the existence of attacks by ninja-like squads”squads" that were targeting “community"community leaders as well as [[ulama]]".<ref Asname=":3" a/> In resultresponse, the residentsneighbors nearof Islamic boardingulamas schoolsbegan undertakeorganizing tightguard guardsshifts "around the houses of ulamas who have become targets".” On 4 October 1998, the ''Jawa Pos Post'' reported that “prayer"prayer teachers are in the sights of groups of dozens of killers who wear all-black clothes and masks like ninjas".”<ref name=":3">{{cite web |last=Herriman |first=Nicholas |date=3 May 2016 |title=Hunting and killing ninjas in Indonesia |url=http://www.newmandala.org/hunting-killing-ninjas-indonesia/ |titlewebsite=Hunting and killing ninjas in Indonesia - New Mandala|date=3 May 2016|website=newmandala.org}}</ref>

===Casualties===

A Nahdlatul Ulama investigation team found that 143 ‘ninja’ were killed in Banyuwangi and 105 in other regions of East Java such as [[Jember]], [[Sumenep]] and [[Pasuruan]], making the total documented death toll 248, though it may be higher.

===Theories===

There have been a number of theories regarding who was behind the killings. Some have argued that the killings were encouraged covertly by the military in an effort to destabilize the new Indonesian government, or to weaken Nahdlatul Ulama or the emerging Islamic [[National Awakening Party]].<ref name=":2" /> [[Nahdlatul Ulama]] has claimed that security forces were involved.<ref name=":2" /> The [[National Commission on Human Rights]] concluded in 2018 that the murders were "conducted by 'trained' and 'organized' assailants, and that national security forces enabled the killings by not intervening until September 1998.<ref name=":2" /> Anthropologist Nicholas Herriman interviewed many area residents and described the events as "local people killed other local residents whom they believed to be sorcerers", related to local perceptions that the government was not able to sufficiently protect them from sorcerers at the time.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Herriman |first=Nicholas |date=2007-03-01 |title=“Sorcerer” Killings in Banyuwangi: A Re-Examination of State Responsibility for Violence |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/10357820701196692 |journal=Asian Studies Review |volume=31 |issue=1 |pages=61–78 |doi=10.1080/10357820701196692 |issn=1035-7823}}</ref>

== Impacts ==

There have been a number of theories regarding who was behind the original organised killing of the Nahdlatul Ulama religious leaders. [[Abdurrahman Wahid]], then head of [[Nahdlatul Ulama]], claimed they were ordered by elite politicians.

The killings sparked discussion on the legal regulation of sorcery, to discourage individuals from "taking the law into their own hands".<ref name=":2" />

==References==

{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==

[[Category:1998 in Indonesia]]

[[Category:History of East Java]]

* {{Cite book |last=Herriman |first=Nicholas |title=Witch-hunt and conspiracy: the 'ninja case' in East Java |date=2016 |publisher=[[NUS Press]]|isbn=978-981-4722-33-9 |___location=Singapore}}

[[Category:Religiously motivated violence in Indonesia]]

[[Category:Scares]]

[[Category:Ninja1998 crimes in Indonesia]]

[[Category:Banyuwangi1998 (town)murders in Asia]]

[[Category:Asian shamanism]]

[[Category:Banyuwangi (town)]]

[[Category:Crimes involving Satanism or the occult]]

[[Category:Mass20th psychogeniccentury illnessin East Java]]

[[Category:Mass psychogenic illness in Asia]]

[[Category:Moral panic]]

[[Category:Ninja]]

[[Category:1998Religiously motivated violence in Indonesia]]

[[Category:Scares]]