Jakarta – A series of mass murders have thus far killed more than 100 people in Ciamis, West Java, and some of the victims were those who had discredited Suharto or were against his rule. The murders were carried out by two groups led by two men with the initials S and SU.

Speaking in Jakarta at 1500 West Indonesian on Friday (April 23), Munir S.H., coordinator for the Commission for Missing People and Victims of Violence (Kontras), disclosed the outcome of Kontras investigation, noting that there are five categories of people who have become the target for murders. Kontras also managed to detect the modus operandi of the murder operations.

The five categories of the murder victims are black magicians, traditional healers, midwives, rich and arrogant people, and lastly, those who were known to have discredited former President Suharto. " However, we cannot give the percentage of each category yet," Munir said.

Munir said Kontras investigation showed that two groups led by two men with the initials S and SU were behind the said murders. The group led by S is based in Pagargunung village while the other group led by SU is based in Ciokong village.

Munir said the murder operations were led by coordinators, who were known to have received military training in the mountainous areas nearby...

The mass murders, which clearly resembled earlier incidents in Banyuwangi, East Java, some time ago, have in fact been reported to local police stations, but the authorities have not taken any action. They have neither prevented new murders nor arrested the offenders.

Munir noted that local residents in Ciamis are now clearly intimidated. "They dare not speak out about the murders," Munir said. Asked by Kontras why the authorities have taken no action thus far, the officials gave a nonsensical reply: "These groups have many members. If some of them are arrested, their friends will storm us"...