Surabaya – A 65-year-old woman became the latest victim of the two-week-old killing spree in the Malang area, which has so far claimed nine lives. Alimah Saniwar was found dead in the wee hours of Wednesday morning at her home in Sumber Runcing village, Pagak district, Malang, some 90 kilometers south of Surabaya.
Witnesses said she suffered severe slash wounds to her back and her house was also torched by a mob. Her blind daughter Hati, 35, survived the incident with some injuries.
Malang Regional Police chief Col. Aryanto confirmed the murder on Thursday, saying police were investigating the case and gathering information from Alimah's relatives and neighbors.
"The modus operandi in this case is similar to the previous murders as the victim's home was located in a remote area, separated from other houses. It's clear that whoever did this did so in systematic and premeditated way.
"She was living in the middle of a corn field. Her body was found at the back of the house and the killers set her home alight. The neighbors only found out about the incident after they saw the fire," Aryanto explained.
Aryanto further revealed that based on investigations so far there are indications the killing spree is possibly politically motivated.
He did not elaborate further, but stated that most of the 21 murder suspects detained were relatives of members of the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). Aryanto mentioned four factors which he found pertinent to the case.
"First, it's public knowledge that the area south of Blitar and South Malang was a strong PKI base. The area witnessed the fiercest ever battle between the PKI and the Armed Forces, which were supported by GP Ansor, the Nahdlatul Ulama's (NU) task force," Aryanto said.
The second is the fact that the killings were done when the victims were at their most vulnerable, such as when they were praying or asleep.
"The third is the impact of freedom and reform, which makes them tend to take the law into their own hands. The final factor is the lack of security personnel available to cover the area prone to killings and riots," Aryanto said.
Meanwhile chief of the Brawijaya Military Command Maj. Gen. Sudi Silalahi denied the killings were politically motivated, arguing instead that "they were spontaneous actions".
East Java Police chief Maj. Gen. M. Dayat alleged earlier this week the person behind the continuing murder spree was a wanted criminal from Jakarta. Without elaborating, Dayat said the murderers were paid Rp three million by the suspected mastermind from Jakarta.
Prior to the latest killing, eight people have died in four separate attacks in the regency since December 9. The murders occurred in Pagak district, Ampelgading district, Kalipare and Sumbermanjing Wetan in South Malang.
In a bid to stop the murders from escalating, GP Ansor formed an investigation team on Thursday. A similar step was also taken by the East Java Provincial Council, with several legislators departing for Malang to gain firsthand information.
Both teams strongly believe that there may be a connection between the Malang murders and the Banyuwangi killings last year. Over 100 died in the Banyuwangi killings.
"The mobs were sent to kill people and create instability in areas known as NU's strongholds. This time their long-term goal is to shake Abdurrahman Wahid's government," Farhan S., head of East Java's GP Ansor, said.
The killings in Banyuwangi, some 290 kilometers southwest of Surabaya, began in September last year.
At least 150 people were killed in six regencies. The killers, mostly ninja-garbed, initially targeted people allegedly practicing black magic, however, Muslim preachers and teachers later also became victims.