1998 East Java ninja scare: Difference between revisions

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The '''1998 East Java ninja scare''' was an outbreak of [[mass hysteria]] in [[East Java]], [[Indonesia]], in which the local population believed they were being targeted by sorcerers. In response, unidentified vigilantes, known as [[ninja]] due to their all-black garb, killed a number of suspected sorcerers, including religious leaders. As many as 150-300 “sorcerers” were killed between February and October, with the most deaths occurring between August and September.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|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|work=The New York Times |date=20 October 1998|publisher=|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> In response to these killings, other Indonesians attacked and killed suspected ninjas.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=1998-11-03 |title=E Java mob lynches three policemen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MbUpAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA4&dq=%22east+java%22+ninja&article_id=2764,556298&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjr5sGo3paJAxVsC3kGHYl2KWsQ6AF6BAgFEAI#v=onepage&q=%22east%20java%22%20ninja&f=false |work=The Nation |pages=A6 |agency=[[Agence France-Presse]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1998-12-29 |title='Ninja' killings defy easy analysis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yvtkAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA7&dq=%22east+java%22+ninja&article_id=4125,6785997&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjr5sGo3paJAxVsC3kGHYl2KWsQ6AF6BAgNEAI#v=onepage&q=%22east%20java%22%20ninja&f=false |work=The Telegraph-Herald |pages=7A |agency=Knight Ridder News Service}}</ref> The scare began in February, with most of the deaths during the scare occurring between August and September.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |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 |work=The New York Times |publisher= |via=NYTimes.com}}</ref>

The killings largely ended by the end of 1998, but another gorup of similar killings occured 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&pg=PA87&dq=%22east+java%22+ninja&article_id=6382,6462271&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjr5sGo3paJAxVsC3kGHYl2KWsQ6AF6BAgGEAI#v=onepage&q=%22east%20java%22%20ninja&f=false |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&pg=PA31&dq=%22east+java%22+ninja&article_id=6226,432997&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjr5sGo3paJAxVsC3kGHYl2KWsQ6AF6BAgIEAI#v=onepage&q=%22east%20java%22%20ninja&f=false |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>

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In early 1998, residents in Kaligondo, Banyuwangi Regency became concerned with sorcery after multiple cattle became sick and died. Local resident Soemarno Adi was suspected, and was lynched on 4 February. His death sparked a number of other killings by vigilante groups. Some vigilantes dressed in all black, leading to them being called ninjas. 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&pg=PA24&dq=%22east+java%22+ninja&article_id=5073,2428743&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjr5sGo3paJAxVsC3kGHYl2KWsQ6AF6BAgKEAI#v=onepage&q=%22east%20java%22%20ninja&f=false |work=The Nation |agency=[[Agence France-Presse]]}}</ref>

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.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

On 18 October 1998, five men were killed in the Turen area.<ref name=":0" /> 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 name=":0" />

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.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} On 31 October and 1 November, three policemen were killed in [[Madura]] after being suspected to be ninjas. 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" />

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===Local press reports===

On 1 October 1998, the Surabaya Post reported “a rumour about the existence of attacks by ninja-like squads” that were targeting "community leaders as well as [[ulama]]". In response, the neighbors of ulamas began organizing guard shifts "around the houses of ulamas who have become targets". On 4 October 1998, the Jawa Pos Post reported that "prayer teachers are in the sights of groups of dozens of killers who wear all-black clothes and masks like ninjas".<ref>{{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/ |website=New Mandala}}</ref>

===Theories===