Unveiling the Nexus of Space, Community and Violence: An In-Depth Analysis of the Indonesian Genocide in East Java, 1965-1966

Keywords: genocide, spatial analysis, political geography
Abstract Type: Poster Abstract

Abstract

The violence in Indonesia from 1965 to 1966 was largely instigated by the army, but it also marked the eruption of long-standing distrust and conflict between the PKI and other political parties. In East Java, the PKI's supporters had a syncretistic ("Abangan") orientation, while their oppressors were largely, but not exclusively, members of politico-religious ("Santri") organizations.

Like other well-known genocides of the late 20th century, the degree of dominance of the "Santri" oppressors over the "Abangan" residents was influenced by pre-existing social networks and solidarity among the "Santri." Conversely, in areas where the "Abangan" community had an organizational advantage, they were able to unite and resist the violence.

While the connection between community and the killings has been explored in qualitative studies of East Java, it has been difficult to quantify these phenomena. For instance, the exact number of victims and oppressors in each region is unknown. This research aimed to examine the connection between community spatial features and the killings using distance-based proxies.

We first looked at the relationship between the political identity of local communities and the extent of violence. We then used a simulation-based approach to assess the role of community solidarity and its derived advantage for each group during the killings.