A government report released in October 1998 revealed that, while some violent incidents against Indonesian Chinese were spontaneous, most cases appeared to be systematically planned by local thugs supported by powerful political and military forces. 
Taarifa ya serikali iliyatolewa Oktoba 1998 ilionesha kuwa wakati baadhi ya vurugu dhidi ya Waindonesia wenye asili China zilikuwa za hiyari, lakini mikasa mingi ilionekana kupangwa kiufundi na wahuni wa mjini wakiungwa mkono na mamlaka zenye nguvu kisiasa na kijeshi.