Mob raids Surabaya police station over 'sorcerer'

Mob raids Surabaya police station over 'sorcerer'

SURABAYA (JP): Hundreds of fearful residents ransacked a
police station in Kenjeran district on Friday morning after
officers refused to hand over a man they suspected was a
sorcerer.

A clash occurred when the mob continued to vandalize the
building despite the officers' insistence that Jupri, a resident
of Gempol district, Pasuruan regency, had merely come to meet a
Koranic instructor.

Residents, unsettled by a recent murder spree in East Java in
which more than 150 people have been killed, had attacked Jupri
before police put him in protective custody.

But the rumor spread that the man was actually a "ninja
killer" -- so dubbed because of the dark clothing and masks
reportedly used by the murderers -- who had targeted the
teacher.

A crowd gathered outside the police station and demanded his
release.

"The villagers mistakenly identified him as one who practiced
black magic (santet)," a police officer said. Jupri is now in the
custody of the East Java Police.

The attack was the latest incident related to the gruesome and
unsolved killing spree in East Java's regencies beginning over
two months ago. Originally targeting people considered black
magic practitioners, many of the later victims were Moslem
preachers and Koranic teachers.

Meanwhile, President B.J. Habibie assured a visiting U.S.
official on Friday he would take vigorous steps to stop the
killings and punish the perpetrators.

"He assured me that as the president of Indonesia he does not
only share my concern but ... would take effective steps to put
the practice to an end," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for
East Asia Stanley Roth said after meeting the President at
Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.

East Java Military Commander Maj. Gen. Djoko Subroto has
disagreed with the local people's claims on the presence of
people in black ninja suits.

"The ninja's presence in the town of Banyuwangi is just the
local people's illusion," he told reporters after the closing
ceremony of a meeting of regional military commanders at the Army
headquarters in Jakarta on Friday.

He dismissed speculation the killings were organized and
conducted by professionals.

"How can people say that the killings were organized, while
the range of the incident covered such large areas?"

Police have recorded 142 victims killed in 11 regencies in
East Java, most in Banyuwangi. Some independent organizations put
the deaths at more than 150.

Djoko also dismissed rumors that members of the Army's Special
Force (Kopassus) were involved in the killings.

"There is no indication of Kopassus members' involvement. I've
checked with the alleged murderers," he said, referring to
suspects in custody.

The military commander suggested an "integrated" approach to
solving the case.

"We cannot only rest on the security approach, but also
psychological and cultural approaches." He insisted the specter
of ninjas was one example of how locals were deceived into
believing falsehoods.

Sociocultural observer Emha Ainun Najib separately called for
members of the Armed Forces (ABRI) to be serious in dealing with
the murders, at the very least to dispel perceptions of
indifference.

"Let's say that no ABRI members were involved in the murders.
But, why have they been so slow and late in responding to the
murders?" he told a discussion on violence held by the National
Front group of government critics.

In Semarang, chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN)
Amien Rais called for immediate actions to curb the killings.

"ABRI and security officers should not get caught in debates
whether the murders ... were politically motivated. They must
calm the people by arresting the murderers and bring them to
trial," Amien said on Friday.

Also in Semarang, law professor of Diponegoro University
Satjipto Rahardjo said the Criminal Code should include articles
which prevent alleged black magic practitioners from being
targets of mobs.

"The Criminal Code should clearly define black magic (santet)
as a crime, so that police can immediately arrest a person
suspected of practicing it."

Minister of Justice Muladi has also suggested outlawing
sorcery because of its potential to stir unrest.

Chairman of the People's Awakening Party (PKB) Matori Abdul
Djalil slammed the killings as "political crimes" on Friday.
(nur/imn/har/aan/prb)