What lies behind mob violence

By Solita Sarwono

WASENAAR, The Netherlands (JP): In the late 1960s following the attempted coup in Indonesia, nobody wanted to be accused of being a member of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), as such allegations would mean death.

Thousands of people were condemned to death without being tried; executed by an angry and paranoid public. One could just point a finger to a person and shout "PKI!", and everyone would immediately attack and beat that person to death. Many of those accused were innocent. The accusations were often based on hatred and personal vendettas.

Thirty-five years later the same phenomenon has returned. Public paranoia and anger has led to mass aggression and violence. Angry crowds attack, beat and burn people to death.

The difference lies in the type of accusation: it is no longer shouting of "PKI", but "Copet!" (pickpocket) which triggers this madness.

Police reports show that from January to June in Greater Jakarta alone there have been about 140 people killed by this mass fury. They were all accused, but not yet proven guilty, of petty thefts, such as stealing two chickens, holding up bus passengers, trying to steal a motorcycle, or even stealing two bags of red chili peppers, a plate and a dish. More victims of vigilantism are feared.

Unlike riots at demonstrations, this mass violence is very difficult to control. The police or other security officers have no power to stop it, fearing they might in turn become targets of aggression by angry crowds. Bystanders also watch the victims scream, cry for help and die, or simply leave the scene.

The question which has so often been asked is, has the image of our friendly, soft, polite, civilized and kindhearted people been simply a myth, or a cover-up for our underlying beast-like behavior?

The mass killings have occurred more often in urban areas. The players have been those from among the lower-middle class; many of whom are poor or unemployed. Living in the city, these people are constantly confronted with contrasting wealth and lifestyles.

Who does not want a happy and comfortable life? Who does not want to enjoy delicious meals, dress nicely, have a big house and beautiful car? Parents pray that their children will be blessed with an easy life, prosperity and good health. So when people do not get the things they have prayed for or worked for, they get frustrated.

The frustration grows as they see themselves being treated unjustly -- by getting laid off during the monetary crisis, for example, while their bosses, who do nothing more than lobby the authorities, continue taking the public's money and maintain a jet-setting lifestyle. People stealing a bike are arrested and sentenced to jail, while the big corruptors go unpunished and continue to live lavishly.

People also get frustrated when they cannot express their opinions and feelings, and when they are blamed for making a mistake without being given a chance to explain or defend themselves.

Civilization, tradition and culture teaches one to control one's behavior. Everyone has to learn to behave in a socially acceptable way. In Indonesia, frustration had to be repressed all this time for the sake of maintaining harmony and peace with others to keep an image of being "civilized" people.

As frustration grows within an individual, however, it seeks an outlet or a valve. Frustration can be expressed in different forms, varying from criticism, protest to aggression. The target of frustration is usually a person or object which has weaker power or a lower position than the frustrated person.

A manager scolds his employee, who will go home and shout at his wife. The wife will then get angry with the son, who in turn will kick the maid. The less power and the lower a position a person has, the more his/her chance is to be made a victim of this aggression, which explains the physical abuse often experienced by domestic workers or servants.

At the individual level, such aggression may still be bearable and tolerable. But frustration can be shared by many individuals with common ground, such as a group of unemployed workers. Shared frustration, repressed for years, leads to collective aggression, including in the form of mass killings.

Individuals involved in such collective aggression will likely forget about all the rules and codes of good conduct and civilized behavior. All they have in mind is letting out their long-repressed frustrations and emotions on the target(s) of anger. When everything has cooled down, they may, or may not regret, their actions. But the damage has been done. The victim is dead.

Social jealousy, increased poverty and unemployment, repressed frustration, lack of freedom of speech, as well as a lack of justice and little trust in the law and judiciary, are oft-cited as the underlying causes of aggressive behavior.

Despite the unequal distribution of wealth and resources, the less privileged have shared a small piece of the cake and enjoyed a somewhat better life.

Now what little comfort there has suddenly been taken away in the crisis. Many who have lost jobs are forced to sell their property, reduce their food intake and other expenses and the most hard hit are the poor.

Many have also witnessed and experienced how the judicial system has been severely biased by money. People have lost trust in the judiciary and in law enforcement officers.

Now freedom of speech, reflected in freedom of the press, as seen by the hundreds of new tabloids and newspapers at newsstands, has led to the exposure of formerly taboo subjects, and has created some confusion.

This freedom of speech is not supported with a clear explanation about the methods and channels to use to express one's opinion. People want to voice their opinion but they do not know how or who they need to talk to. How can they know the right way when all their lives they were not allowed to voice criticism? Report or complain to the police? From experience, they have learned this does not work.

So people go parading in the street, joining the many demonstrations. When they face the authorities who aim to restore public order, many protesters become angry and violent.

They fight the authorities or take over places that resemble the establishment and the rich, such as the legislature buildings, shopping centers and so forth. And when people are not able to direct their frustrations at authorities, they aim their aggression at the weak and poor, and petty criminals.

Democracy needs order and regulations. Otherwise it will lead to anarchy. Freedom of speech needs to be supported with means and channels, e.g. institutions or non-governmental organizations where people can file complaints or discuss matters that they think disturbs public life. In turn these institutions can forward these complaints to the right persons/organizations and bring changes according to the wishes of the people.

The government, if it is serious in bringing about democracy, should continue to help provide these means to regain trust from the people and show sincere and serious efforts in upholding the law. Otherwise mass violence and anarchy will continue.

The writer is a psychologist and sociologist residing in the Netherlands.