1998 East Java ninja scare: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 22:17, 13 July 2023

Revision as of 07:32, 19 August 2023

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{{refimprove|date=May 2018}}

The '''1998 East Java ninja scare''' was an outbreak of [[mass hysteria]] in [[East Java]], [[Indonesia]], in which the local population believe they were being targeted by sorcerers known as [[ninja]], who were blamed for mysterious killings of religious leaders by assassins dressed in black. As many as 150-300 “sorcerers” were killed between February and October, with the most deaths occurring between August and September.<ref>{{cite webnews|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>

==Background==

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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 webnews|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; the third man was beheaded and his head paraded around on a stake.<ref>{{cite webnews|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>

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.