Banyuwangi residents guard themselves<\/p>\n
By Ainur R. Sophiaan<\/p>\n
BANYUWANGI, East Java (JP): Sixty-year-old Ashari was an
\nordinary farmer in Karang Bendo village, Rogojampi district in
\nBanyuwangi regency. He lived in a modest house built of stone and
\nbamboo with his three children. His wife passed away five years
\nago. One day in early September villagers were shocked when they
\nfound Ashari's mutilated body on the banks of a small river.<\/p>\n
Lilik recalled she faintly heard people entering in the dark,
\nbut thought they were her two brothers coming from a relative's
\nhouse. \"My father's body was barely recognizable,\" Lilik,
\nAshari's eldest daughter said in tears.<\/p>\n
Another victim of East Java's mysterious murder spree was
\nKhudlori, 47, a peasant who taught Koran reading every evening in
\na small mosque in Wongsorejo district.<\/p>\n
One night in mid September the father of two was assaulted by
\na group wearing black ninja-like outfits and masks. They
\nstrangled him with a plastic rope and stabbed him several times.<\/p>\n
The body was then abandoned by his murderers on his own
\nterrace. Neighbors who knew of the assault said they were
\nhelpless.<\/p>\n
Ashari and Khudlori are two out of at least 142 victims of
\nkillings which are believed to be related in their methods and
\ntargets. The independent Commission for Missing People and
\nVictims of Violence (Kontras) last week said the toll was 157.<\/p>\n
National Police chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi said on Tuesday 85
\nout of the 142 victims killed in 11 East Java regencies were from
\nBanyuwangi. The murders which initially seemed to target
\nsuspected practitioners of \"black magic\" have spread fear among
\nresidents because it soon turned out that targets included
\nIslamic teachers, noted figures and peasants.<\/p>\n
Dozens of Islamic boarding schools here are now being tightly
\nguarded by their students around the clock; all visitors are
\nforced to answer a series of questions.<\/p>\n
The head of the Minhajut Thullab boarding school, Thoha
\nMuntoha from Tegalharjo village in Glenmore district, reiterated
\nlocals' belief of how the tragedy started.<\/p>\n
He said the killings, which have cost the lives of mostly
\nNahdhatul Ulama members -- Banyuwangi is one of many NU bases --
\nwere triggered by a radiogram from Banyuwangi regent Purnomo
\nSidik, ordering district heads to list black magic practitioners.<\/p>\n
Purnomo has said he had intended \"to save\" the alleged
\npractitioners from being targets of public anger, following the
\ndeath of a few residents reportedly treated by the healers.<\/p>\n
The instruction also stated the inventory should be done
\naccurately and with caution, and the deadline for every district
\nwas set for Aug. 21. \"I don't know how it started,\" Thoha said,
\n\"but the data sent by the village heads leaked everywhere and the
\nlisting was absurd. I even saw my friend's name on it while I
\nknow for sure he is not a black magic practitioner.\" Strangely,
\nThoha added, there were also several versions of the list.<\/p>\n
Since late July some notable figures have received anonymous
\nletters, with at least one threatening death for anyone who got
\nin the way of a self-claimed \"antiwitchcraft movement\". Its
\nacronym, Gantung, chillingly translates to \"hang\".<\/p>\n
The letter also said: \"On behalf of Gantung (Gerakan Anti
\nTenung): I am neither a hit man nor a former member of the
\n(banned) Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). This is not revenge
\nbut (we are) an association of street people whose relatives were
\nkilled by black magicians. Our membership has now reached 199
\npeople, spread throughout Banyuwangi.\"<\/p>\n
Locals who claim to have helplessly witnessed the killers in
\naction said the murderers -- described as tall, big-muscled men
\n-- appeared to be well trained. Their faces were covered with
\nninja-like black masks and they wore dark outfits, complete with
\nknives and sickles; a few also carried walkie-talkies.<\/p>\n
Killings have always been preceded by the power in the
\ntarget's home being cut. The killers were sometimes seen arriving
\nby motorcycle, private vehicle or public transport. Some
\npreachers said they had received threats by phone and letter.
\nSome threats were even expressed directly by people visiting like
\nordinary guests. Some of the threats were not realized given the
\nstudents tight security operations.<\/p>\n
But Kontras has said at least half of the victims were
\nreligious teachers, while the central NU headquarters has said
\nthe teachers were the majority of victims.<\/p>\n
One survivor, K.H. Hanief, was attacked at his boarding school
\nby four \"ninjas\" in Sumberkembang, Srono district. Hanief fought
\nthem off -- he is still being treated at Al Huda Hospital in
\nGenteng for his injuries. \"I'm surprised that they (the killers)
\ncould escape without a scratch because the boarding school was
\nsurrounded by the students,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Residents here are disappointed with the security forces, whom
\nthey say have disregarded locals' reports of the threats.<\/p>\n
One person once contacted the police after receiving a similar
\nthreat -- an attacker eventually came one night. Luckily his
\nneighbors managed to prevent another killing.<\/p>\n
\"It is only to be expected that people finally took the law
\ninto their own hands,\" Hanief, the survivor said.<\/p>\n
Banyuwangi Police Chief Lt.Col. Eddy M. has denied the
\nallegations that police have been slow.\"We have taken preventive
\nmeasures by evacuating likely targets.\" Police have said at least
\n270 out of 377 people on the list have been given protection.<\/p>\n
Hanief described the \"astonishing\" nerve of the \"ninja\". He
\nsaid one was recently captured by locals who tied a plastic rope
\naround his neck, and forcing him to say whose orders he was
\nfollowing. \"But he kept his silence and even challenged the
\nlocals to kill him.\" Such nerve, he said, would likely only come
\nfrom highly trained people judging by their ability to enter
\ntargeted sites and escape without a trace. \"I'm not accusing
\nanyone. (We're) only amazed that (the killings) are going on
\nsimultaneously -- what is going on?\"<\/p>\n
K.H. Ahmad Gozali from Rogojampi, another survivor, questioned
\nthe links between the murders and the police's taking of
\nphotographs of several houses of people believed to practice
\nblack magic at the end of August -- when seven had been killed.<\/p>\n
\"I was even more mystified when shortly after the photo-taking
\nthe death toll rose to 17,\" Ahmad, the teacher said.<\/p>\n
Patrols are continuing every night here. All passing vehicles
\nare checked. Besuki police chief Col. Budi Utomo said he
\nguaranteed residents' security.<\/p>\n
\"But I have never believed in officers' promises,\" said
\nresident Khusaini, \"I do not want to gamble with my life.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/banyuwangi-residents-guard-themselves-1447893297",
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