Organized Violence and the State: Evolving Vigilantism in Indonesia

In this article I consider the rise of violent ormas—civil mass organizations—in Indonesian society. Using examples from Jakarta, East Kalimantan, and the Minahasa, I show that such groups deploy a discourse combining democracy, identity, and the willingness to use violence to mobilize local society against (real or perceived) threats to its well-being. I show that while popular support allows the ormas to become powerful in local settings, such support is inherently unstable and dependent on regular demonstrations of capacity and intent. Too much unrest or the ignoring of popular interests will cause an ormas to lose support. As with successful governments, maintaining the peace and providing societal assistance rather than public displays of violence are what keeps successful ormas going. I argue, therefore, that ormas, like governments, are subject to societal control.