Pro-Government Militias
Ninjas (Indonesia)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 348 |
| Country: | Indonesia |
| Date formed: | June 16, 1991 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | year |
| Details of Formation: | Sources state that the militia was formed by the military in the early 1990s. First evidence and activity of the group is from June 1991. The ninjas are a 'shadowy' extra task force apparently controlled by either the military and/or the special forces, for killing independence supporters. They were active throughout the 1990s in East Timor until they were presumably subsumed by the militias that sprang up in 1999. |
| Date dissolved: | Oct. 25, 1999 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | There is no mention of the ninjas being terminated, but since there is no mention in 1999, it is likely that ninja members were dispersed into the pro-integration militias that emerged that year. There was an alleged link to the army, to special forces and to one of Suharto's sons. The group is seen as terminated for when the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) was established on 25 October 1999. |
| Termination Type(s): | border change |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | no |
| Former Armed Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: | yes | Main Creating Government Institution: | military |
| Government Link(s): | military (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | None |
| Training and Equipment: | yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | yes |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | military |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | ethnic; ideology; security forces; adolescents |
| Primary Membership: | noncivilian |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Dili (East Timor) |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, 274] |
| Target(s): | civilians; unarmed political opposition, government critics |
| Purpose(s): | intimidation of ethnic/religious groups; intimidation of civilians; intimidate political opposition |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | East Timorese (Indonesia) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | given |
| Ethnic Purpose: | East Timorese (Indonesia) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | given |
Other Information
| Other Information: | There were 13 additional teams operating in East Timor which included nine to 274 members. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The pro-integrationist militia was used to persecute people “suspected of anti-Indonesian feeling”, i.e. pro-independence activists, by attacking them, perpetrating kidnappings and assaults and conducting raids on their homes. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | The group attacked, murdered, kidnapped and tortured civilians based on (suspected) pro-independence views. Members were also active at night, breaking into houses and murdering suspects, as well as in the streets, where they damaged property and beat people up. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | kidnapping/abductions; killing; beating; torture |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | yes |
| Reasons for Membership: | The PGM is described as right wing and pro-Indonesian, therefore ideological convictions were one motivation to join the group. |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | Members were armed with army knives and clubs and it is reported that they were armed by military officers. As security men/soldiers are said to be members, those elements are likely to have been trained, but there is nothing said about specific training for the group. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The PGM had links to the military, with connections to the former military intelligence chief in East Timor and support from some officers and soldiers reportedly being members of the group. It was backed by the security forces and said to have been formed by the military. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.