More deaths suspected in Ciamis killing spree

JAKARTA (JP): The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) disputed on Friday a police claim of 18 deaths in the West Java town of Ciamis, alleging that more than 50 people have been killed by hired assassins.

"Based on our own finding, 24 bodies have been found so far. But we have identified some 50 names (of victims) reported by locals. Only we haven't found the bodies yet," Kontras coordinator Munir said.

Those 50 people went missing, or are believed to have been killed over the past four months, he said. Several villagers had admitted they witnessed the killings of five or six people, while others claimed to have witnessed 12 murders in January alone, he said.

Residents were too afraid to provide information to the authorities, but told Kontras they believed their missing relatives were murdered.

Kontras said many of the victims were killed by paid assassins. Munir said the victims were those who allegedly practiced black magic, performed abortions, those who were "arrogant" and individuals who criticized former president Soeharto.

In 1997, over 200 Muslim clerics in East Java's Banyuwangi were killed on the grounds of black magic practice. The murders remain unsolved.

Munir said further investigations were needed to ascertain the number of deaths, given that many people said to be "targeted victims" were now on the run or in hiding.

Dozens of frightened residents fled the area after the paid killers -- who blatantly admitted their involvement and sometimes killed in broad daylight -- publicly announced a list of targets in meetings with locals last month, Munir said.

"According to the villagers, many of the victims were dragged out of their houses and tortured and killed in front of their families. The bodies were never buried, but were thrown from hired trucks into the Ciwayang River which ends at Pangandaran beach."

Security personnel said they were unable to control the killings. Some of them even admitted being fearful of being targets of the killing spree themselves.

Munir said it was believed the killers moved in groups, numbering between 200 and 300 people.

In a meeting with Kontras last week, local authorities admitted discovering bodies since last October, with residents reporting the murders since January.

"We believe that security forces have tolerated the massacre, as in some instances residents said security personnel witnessed the incident but did nothing about it," Munir said.

Police have so far detained 42 people for questioning. They are being held at Ciamis Police station, some 130 kilometers southeast of here.

Kontras has interviewed six suspected murderers. Despite confessing to the crimes, they were free to roam the villages.

"One of the self-confessed killers, only listed as a witness by police, admitted on record to a Kontras activist to have killed 100 people. He bragged about it and said police would not dare to capture him and the other assassins," Munir said.

It was possible the six self-confessed killers provided different testimonies to the police, so they were freed, he said.

"And this terrifies the residents. Imagine witnessing killers roaming through your village, hunting for prospective victims.

"In fact, people recognized the killers' faces, as every day there could be one to four killings in the villages."

Based on the commission findings, each killer was paid between Rp 100,000 to Rp 200,000 per murder. Most of the killers were unemployed or hoodlums from nearby villages.

Some of the villagers were forced to join the group, or else they too would be killed, Munir said.

So far the commission had only located local involvement in the hiring of the killers. However, it was possible the masterminds were people from Jakarta, he said.

Kontras was scheduled to hold a meeting with the National Police on Friday afternoon to request a serious investigation and also to exchange information. (edt)