Massacre on Bamboo hill

Sulawesi, once a loved harbour for tourists. Especially this place around Poso appeared to be a paradise. Until 1998 when, just like on the Moluccas, war broke out between Christians and Muslims. A battle costing thousands of lives on both sides. The government ended the misery in 2002, having the quarrelling parties to sign a peace treaty. The bloodshed was over, or so it seemed.
Next to Poso is the higher settlement of Bukit Bambu,which means ‘bamboo hill’This ‘bamboo hill’ will be the stage of a terror attack,the most horrible one of the last decennia. The leading roles are 4 children: The 17-years old Alfita Poliwo, and the 15-years old girls - Interesia Morangke, - Noviana Malewa, and Yarni Sambue. Besides friends they are also related.
W. Sambue – mother Yarni (15)1:
00:02:16:17 00:02:20:
02:03:10My poor child.2:

02:07:10I shall never see you again, my dearest.You will never be with us, my daughter.

00:02:41:18 00:02:45:16 03:23Oh, poor child.4:

00:04:26:12 00:04:30:10 03:23She was a good child.No problems at all, never.5:

00:04:31:14 00:04:38:20 07:06She did well at school.She was very keen on learning.

00:04:38:20 00:04:43:03 04:08She used to say: when I have finished my high school...7:

00:04:43:03 00:04:47:18 04:15...I will continue my education.
Y. Sambue – sister of Yarni 8:

00:04:47:18 00:04:53:22 06:04We went every day to fetch waterfrom the well.9:

00:04:53:22 00:04:59:13 05:16We swept the yard,we washed the laundry...10:

00:04:59:13 00:05:03:17 04:04...and we ironed her school uniform.
Yarni, a child to love, according to her parents. Hard working, smart and obedient. She loves singing and her brothers and sister.
Y. Sambue sister of Yarni :

00:05:16:14 00:05:22:17 06:03That Friday we cleaned the yard and went to the field playing volleyball.12:

00:05:22:17 00:05:26:05 03:13After that we bathed togetherand went home for food.

00:05:26:05 00:05:28:11 02:06That night we slept next to each other.

00:05:29:17 00:05:35:17 06:00The following morning we had breakfast together and then she left for school.
Yarni and her friends belong to the Christian high school in Poso.They follow lessons there nearly every day. Even though Indonesia is a Muslim country, central-Sulawesi has remarkably many Christians. Poso is mainly inhabited by Muslims,While Bukit Bambu, where the girls live, is a Christian village. Nothing ever happened on their way to school. Until the 29th of October, a Saturday. Like every morning, Yarni washes herself in the river.
W. Sambue – mother Yarni

00:06:16:02 00:06:21:05 05:03She always got up early in the morningto take her bath.

00:06:21:05 00:06:27:19 06:14When she returned she had her breakfastput on her clean clothes...

00:06:27:19 00:06:30:02 02:08...to go to school.18:

00:06:30:02 00:06:35:23 05:21She put on her school uniform,unaware of what would happen.
From Bukit Bambu to Poso is a half an hour walks. Straight through the jungle, down the hill, over a small path. Yarni, Theresia, Alfita and Noviana. Six masked men with machetes hide in the forest, on the slope next to the path. They’re waiting for the girls to come close enough. [.]Yuldrita Lasulara, a young woman of Bukit Bambu, has to visit Poso as well. Only moments after the girls she descents the hill. Then she hears a horrific scream.
Y. Lasulara – inhabitant Bukit Bambu

00:07:21:19 00:07:27:19 06:00I heard screaming as if there was a row.That kind of noice I heard.

00:07:28:24 00:07:33:14 04:15So I thought, maybe someone got attacked by a snake.

00:07:33:14 00:07:37:10 03:21Maybe that's why those girls are runninginto my direction.

00:07:37:10 00:07:40:16 03:06But then I saw those mendescending from the hill.

00:07:40:16 00:07:43:19 03:03They carried machetes on themand then I ran.

00:07:43:19 00:07:46:12 02:18I was petrified when I saw that machete.

00:07:50:07 00:07:55:14 05:07So I ran up the hill right awayand passed a mother with child.

00:07:55:14 00:07:58:14 03:00The mother asked me:what is going on?

00:07:58:14 00:08:00:03 01:14I did not respond.28:

00:08:00:03 00:08:05:20 05:17I pointed at the hill and said:Run, run...

00:08:05:20 00:08:08:23 03:03After that they fled also.
Masked men, with machetes, approach her. But Yuldrita escapes.She has no idea what happened to the girls. There is another witness.Because not all girls found death. The 15 year old Noviana survives the slaughter, the sole survivor of the four girls. Noviana is the key witness for the Indonesian justice. We visited her in the hospital. There she is guarded 24 hours. For security reasons we will not make her recognizable.
Noviana – witness

00:08:58:10 00:09:02:20 04:10That morning around 6.30...

00:09:04:01 00:09:08:00 03:24...me and my friends crossed the hill.

00:09:08:00 00:09:12:22 04:22I was in the back.There was the four of us.

00:09:12:22 00:09:14:14 01:17I was the last one.34:

00:09:19:10 00:09:21:15 02:05When we approached a bend...
Noviana

00:09:21:15 00:09:26:11 04:21...my friend who was in front,started to yell.

00:09:26:11 00:09:28:24 02:13I was startled.37:

00:09:28:24 00:09:32:19 03:20I heard my friends shout.

00:09:34:00 00:09:40:03 06:03I saw those men emerging from the high grassand come out of the bushes.

00:09:40:03 00:09:47:06 07:03I wanted to flee.The girlfriend in front of me, the third...

00:09:47:06 00:09:51:18 04:12...stumbled against meso I fell on my back.

00:09:51:18 00:09:55:22 04:04I got stabbed by the knifebut managed to get up.

00:09:55:22 00:09:58:06 02:09I descended the steep slope.

00:10:00:00 00:10:04:11 04:11And next thing,that man chased my girlfriend.
The heavily wounded Noviana flees downwards, to the closest police post. She won’t reach it, not at her own anyway.
A. Zainal – police officer

00:10:18:13 00:10:25:11 06:23One of the victims knew to escape the murderers..

00:10:25:11 00:10:32:24 07:13She was hurt on her cheek, her neck and shoulder.

00:10:32:24 00:10:36:23 03:24I found her near a bamboo bush.

00:10:36:23 00:10:41:19 04:21She asked me:Please look after my friends first.

00:10:41:19 00:10:48:04 06:10But I helped her first and after that went to the scene of the crime.49:

00:10:48:04 00:10:54:02 05:23Later on it appeared that 3 girlswere attacked.

00:10:54:02 00:10:58:18 04:16When we arrived at the hospital,Noviana fell unconscious.
Noviana is brought to the hospital in critical condition. She is unconscious, so she can not give the police more information. Yuldrita sounds the alarm in the village. But nobody dares to investigate. This way everybody knows something terrible happened, but nobody know exactly what. Yarni’s mother can only think of her child at that moment.
W. Sambue – mother Yarni (15)51: 00:11:28:22

00:11:34:07 05:10She must have cried:Mama, mama, please save me.

00:11:34:07 00:11:36:09 02:02But alas, I couldn't hear her.

00:11:38:18 00:11:43:08 04:15That is constant on my mind.And it breaks my heart.

00:11:43:08 00:11:50:01 06:18I see that expression on her face constantly.
Later that day, the police investigate.
‘Endo’ – crisiscentrum Poso

00:12:20:13 00:12:24:09 03:21This is where we discovered one of the victims.

00:12:24:09 00:12:25:24 01:15Decapitated.57:

00:12:25:24 00:12:29:17 03:18It was more or less 20 metersaway from the first victim.

00:12:29:17 00:12:33:13 03:21And about 8 meters behind we discovered the third victim.

00:12:33:13 00:12:38:07 04:19Over there.And she was also decapitated.

Endo, a kind of neighbourhood watch, sees three decapitated bodies. He takes pictures of it with his mobile phone.
W. Sambue - mother Yarni (15)

00:13:10:01 00:13:15:14 05:13First I wanted to end my own life.So to be with her.

00:13:17:20 00:13:20:13 02:18I am dead inside.

00:13:24:15 00:13:28:07 03:17It is impossible to comprehend.
Three bodies. But where are the heads?Because they’re gone without a trace.
Its several hours after the murders. An inconspicuous motorcycle passes through Poso. Its driver holds a plastic bag. He dumps some of its contents in front of the police post. The rest is thrown on the ground near a burned out church. They’re the heads of Alfita, Interesia and Yarni. Endu makes photos of this as well.
W. Sambue - mother Yarni (15)

00:14:24:09 00:14:26:17 02:08My dearest.
Who were the masked men coming down the hill here? And why did they commit those murders?
Drs. Oegronseno – chief of police district Poso64:

00:14:36:19 00:14:41:22 05:03They are plain murderers.They executed a cunning scheme.

00:14:41:22 00:14:44:12 02:15They must have been trained for this.

00:14:44:12 00:14:48:14 04:02And probably they practised on puppets.
When the unknown motorcyclist dumps the girls heads in Poso,he also leaves a note. A threat, towards the Christians.

00:14:58:03 00:15:02:16 04:13This is a message for Reverend Damanik,Reverend Piet, Espelima...

00:15:02:16 00:15:06:15 03:24...the army of the Christians and all the shameless Christian homosexuals.

00:15:06:15 00:15:11:19 05:04We are in need of another 100 heads...

00:15:11:19 00:15:16:12 04:18...of children, youngsters, men and women.
The writer, who claims the beheadings, appears to speak out for the local Muslims. The motive for the decapitations would be vengeance and hatred towards Christians. Attacks towards Christians don’t stand alone, by the way. In the past, several churches were burned down. In may 2005 a bomb exploded, killing 22 Christians. And a year earlier a preacher was shot dead, during the service, on the pulpit. We talk to the Priest of Yarni, one of the beheaded girls. The man is number four on a hit list spread in the region. He explains why the Muslims hate the Christians.
Ds. J. R. Mamahit – reverend Yarni71:

00:15:58:20 00:16:04:11 05:16The number of Christians is increasing.

00:16:04:11 00:16:09:21 05:10And the Christians are economically better off.

00:16:09:21 00:16:20:12 10:16By murdering those 3 schoolgirls...

00:16:20:12 00:16:24:04 03:17...they want to make clear that it is their goal...

00:16:24:04 00:16:28:23 04:19...to halt the increase of Christiansin this area.
We ask the Muslim leader in Poso for a response on the accusations.
Akashi – imam Poso

00:16:35:08 00:16:38:17 03:09It is not right to come forward and accuse someone.

00:16:38:17 00:16:44:09 05:17All those events, the murders and the rifle attacks...

00:16:44:09 00:16:47:13 03:04...we as common civilians...

00:16:47:13 00:16:51:09 03:21...should leave that in the hands of the government.
But that’s unacceptable to the Christians. Or at least as long members of paramilitary groups, such as the Laskar Jihad and Mudjahedin, terrorize the region.
Ds. J. R. Mamahit – reverend Yarni80: 00:17:01:20

00:17:07:05 05:10The local Laskar Jihad started most ofthe rifle attacks around here.

00:17:07:05 00:17:13:02 05:22Shooting and killing becausethey know the area very well.82: 00:17:13:02

00:17:19:17 06:15There must be a cooperation betweenthe national and local Laskar Jihad.
Close to the crime scene, is a Laskar Jihad base, according to insidersThe place would be recognizable because the women wear burkas. Rubbish, says imam Akashi.
Akashi – imam in Poso

00:17:31:14 00:17:37:00 05:11Don't mistake all women in burka for a Laskar Jihad.
The Indonesian president has ordered a big investigation because of the beheadings. Little is told about the progress of the investigation, except for the punishment awaiting the murderers.
Drs. Oegronseno – police chief district Poso84:

00:17:51:18 00:17:56:14 04:21The death penalty.That is the proper punishment for these murderers.85: 00:17:57:21

00:18:00:20 02:24That will be the penalty we will apply.

00:18:00:20 00:18:04:14 03:19Lower the backside gently.

00:18:04:14 00:18:07:13 02:24Careful.- Keep it right-

00:18:07:13 00:18:14:09 06:21In the name of the Father,the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen.
The Slaughter at Bamboohill leaves a trauma that can’t heal. Such as the witnesses fear for what they saw.
Y. Lasulara – inhabitant Bukit Bambu89: 00:18:27:02

00:18:33:23 06:21When I think of those poor girls and their killers it scares me very much.90: 00:18:33:23

00:18:39:09 05:11The Sunday night after the massacreI couldn't sleep at all.91: 00:18:39:09 00:18:44:11 05:02Those images keep returning.Even in my house I am afraid.
Noviana – getuige moord [titel continu in beeld]92:

00:18:47:09 00:18:51:14 04:05I am still frightened and sad.

00:18:55:11 00:19:00:06 04:20I keep on hearing my girlfriends screaming in terror.9
An inconsolable loss is all that is left for the victims families….
W. Sambue - moeder van Yarni (15)4:

00:19:22:03 00:19:25:17 03:14They were butchered.95:

00:19:25:17 00:19:28:09 02:17They are beheaded96:

00:19:30:06 00:19:34:15 04:09They are murdered.Now, who decapitates children?

© 2024 Journeyman Pictures
Journeyman Pictures Ltd. 4-6 High Street, Thames Ditton, Surrey, KT7 0RY, United Kingdom
Email: info@journeyman.tv

This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. For more info see our Cookies Policy