Pro-Government Militias

Pro-Government Militia Website

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

Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD.

Evidence