BALI UPDATE #317 - 14 October 2002

An Island Grieves

Bali's Unblemished Reputation for Peace Crushed in a Night of Unspeakable Violence.

Like the cowards they are, they came in the night, slipping away leaving havoc and unspeakable human misery in their wake.

Shortly after 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 12, 2002, a series of bomb blasts shook Bali and ended the peace the island had so jealously enjoyed over the past 4 years of Indonesia's troubled history. The two, almost simultaneous explosions were heard across the entire southern part of the island. One blast, thought to be targeted at the U.S. Consulate on Jalan Hayum Wuruk in the Renon District of Denpasar, apparently missed its mark, exploding 100 meters south of the U.S. mission destroying a tree in a vacant lot and a roadside gutter. The other, more deadly, explosion was delivered via a car loaded with explosives and parked outside of two popular night spots on Legian's main thoroughfare.

Parked on the road between the Sari Club and Paddy's Restaurant, the bomb was positioned to extract a brutal toll on a day and hour calculated to affect the hundreds of tourists would frequent the two night spots. The amount of explosive employed was massive as evidenced by the two-meter deep crater and the almost total destruction rendered on the tightly-packed surrounding businesses and subsequent fire that raged for hours after the initial explosion.

A Still Mounting Death Toll

By Sunday evening the death toll had surpassed 180 people, with scores more feared to be laying under the charred remains of the building. Meanwhile, hundreds of injured people were undergoing treatment at local area hospitals and clinics. A special mercy flight from Australia arrived on Sunday evening carrying an emergency medical team and medical supplies to assist in the care of casualties. That same evening a series of special air ambulances began the evacuation of the most severely injured to hospitals in Australia.

Community Response

Shocked and saddened at the death and injury of both local Indonesians and foreign visitors, members of Bali's community responded in a variety of ways to the emerging crisis.

+ Representatives of the Indonesian Guide Association (HPI) and the local community descended on local hospitals to comfort the injured and act as multi-lingual interpreters facilitating communication between patients and medical teams.

+ Lines of Indonesian and foreign blood donors quickly formed at the Sanglah Hospital blood bank in response to an overnight telephone and fax appeal.

+ Medical services for the injured were donated without charge by local hospitals.

+ Local volunteers from the IDEP Foundation set up a missing persons bureau at the Sanglah Hospital to help re-unite and identify the missing.

+ Ice and cold storage containers were donated by local businesses to help the Sanglah hospital morgue cope.

+ Local hoteliers sent food, drink, bedding, towels and volunteer cleaning teams to the Sanglah hospital.

+ Floral tribute from members of the Bali community began to arrive at local consulates and ground zero.

In our Devastation, Bali Turns to God

Reflecting the Balinese commitment to the concept of Tri Hita Kirana that mandates harmonious relations between man and man, man and nature, and man and God – plans are now underway to host a program of prayers offered by representatives of all the religious faiths represented in Bali at ground zero.

Intense Police Efforts Underway

On Sunday morning a top-level delegation comprised of the President and leading members of her Cabinet came to Bali to inspect the damage firsthand. Minister of Culture and Tourism, I Gede Ardika, in a press conference on Sunday afternoon unreservedly condemned the attack, echoing the statement of the nation's defense chief in branding the tragedy as a horrendous terrorist attack.

Meanwhile, police and military authorities have placed the island under the highest level of security alert selectively closing or placing under tight surveillance the island's ports and airport.

Without revealing additional details at this time, police have indicated a preliminary list of suspects in the bombing and report they have launched a manhunt for their capture.

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Bali Top Cop Put His Job on the Line

Provincial Police Chief Says He'll Find the Bombers in 30 Days or Resign.

The Chief of the Provincial Police for Bali, Brigadier General Budi Setyawan has made an firm promise to find the party responsible for the October 12^th bomb attack in Kuta within 30 days or he'll resign his job as Bali's top cop.

Joining the National Police Chief in condemning the attack as a terrorist act, Setyawan was quoted in the Bali Post On-Line Edition as pledging that if, within one month, he has not found the responsible party he will ask his boss to appoint a replacement.

In a related development, the National Police Chief and the head of the local military command have both implored the people of Bali to entrust the handling of the case to the police authorities, urging the public not to attempt to take the matter into their own hands. These statement seemingly reflecting a genuine concern among the police that the Kuta Bomb attack could ignite clashes between various ethnic and religious groups on Bali.

Governor Condemns Attacks

Text of Governor's Official Statement on October 12 Attack.

On Sunday, October 13, 2002, one day after the tragic terrorist attack of one day before, Bali's Governor, Dewa Beratha and the Chairman of the Provincial Parliament, Ida Bagus Putu Wesnawa issued the following formal declaration:

In connection with the explosion of bombs in Kuta and Denpasar, the Governor and the Chairman of the Provincial Parliament, hereby:

1. Condemn the bombing, which took place in Bali on October 12, 2002 at approximately 22.30 hours local time.

2. Express our grief and sincere condolences while offering our sincere apologies to the families of all victims.

3. State that the Government and the People of Bali feel it is their calling and the responsibility to do everything in their powers to help the victims of this tragedy.

4. Instruct every level of the local community to remain calm, vigilant, and to continue to preserve the community's unity and solidarity.

5. Urge the people of Bali to undertake joint prayers, in keeping with their respective beliefs and religious teachings.

6. Ask that the Almighty Lord provide us all with his guidance and protection.

Additional Flights for Returning Australians

Garuda Adds Capacity in Anticipation of Exodus.

Garuda Indonesia have dedicated an additional 747 aircraft to assist an anticipated mass exodus of holidaymakers from the island following the Saturday, October 12^th terrorist attack in downtown Kuta.

The additional 747 for flights from Bali to Australia was announced by the airline's public relation's manager, Pujobruto on Sunday, October 13, one day after the incident.

Indonesian Muslims Condemn Bali Bombing

Nadhlatul Ulama Calls for Quick Police Action to Catch Perpetrators.

A leading organization of Indonesian Moslems, Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) has roundly condemned the Saturday, October 12, 2002, bombing in Bali, calling on police authorities to spare no effort in bringing those responsible to justice.

According to Masduki Baidlowi, the Vice Secretary General of the PBNU, the Bali attacks have only served to worsen Indonesia's international image, incorrectly portraying the country nest for terrorists.

In comments made at the East Java regional conference of the PBNU in Pasuran, East Java on Sunday, October 13, Masduki, in comments reported in Tempo on Line, expressed his concern that the latest bomb attack would only worsen the country's investment climate and cripple the national tourism industry.

PBNU is therefore calling on the police authorities to solve the Bali bombings. Masduki pointed to recent successful peace making trips organized by PBNU including leaders of the Christian, Catholic, Hindu and Buddhist faiths to Sulawesi and Ambon, saying the bombing in Bali represented a body blow to efforts to re-establish inter-faith harmony in the community.

Oz to Bali Air Fare War – Round One

Qantas and Garuda Slashes Selected Bali Fares.

Qantas and Garuda Indonesia have both slashed their Melbourne and Perth fares to Bali by an average AU$ 170 in anticipation of new competition commencing later this month from Paradise Air, an airline owned by a Balinese businessman.

Fares ex Perth will start at AU$ 611 for October 29 through December 12 and AU$ 699 for the post holiday period January 13 - March 31, 2003.

Clearly, more competition on the Australia to Bali air corridor will result in lower fares for Australian holiday-makers bound for Bali.

Fire at Mercure Kuta Hotel

Accor Managed Hotel Forced to Close Temporarily to Repair Damage.

On Monday, October 7, the Mecure Kuta Bali Hotel, located opposite Bali's famous Kuta public beach, suffered a late night fire.

Quick action by staff and the local fire brigade stopped the fire from spreading to guest rooms but not before flames damaged the hotel's spa, kitchen, and Alang-Alang Restaurant.

The hotel's management emphasized that no injuries were suffered by staff or guests as the result of the incident. However, guests staying at the hotel were moved to nearby hotels while the hotel closed temporarily in order to repair damage caused by the fire.

After 7 days the hotel re-opened to guests on October 14, 2002, with a temporary dining facility set up in the building's adjacent shopping arcade while repairs are made to the building's 4^th floor restaurant.

Barnestorming Bali

Australian Rock Legend Jimmy Barnes Takes to the Skies in Bali.

Australian rock legend Jimmy Barnes and members of his family and band made a helicopters tour part of their early October visit to the island of Bali, courtesy of Bali Adventure Air Tours.

Between performances at the Hard Rock Hotel - Jimmy; his wife Jane; daughters Mahalia and Elly; daughter and backing-vocalist Eliza Jane; and nephew/guitarist Matthew Schlammerl, - all climbed aboard Bali Adventure's Robinson 44 Clipper Helicopters to fly over the spectacular Kintamani volcano, jungle ravines, and adjacent breathtaking rice terraces during a 45-minute air tour of paradise.

Jimmy Barnes first steps towards the pantheon of rock legends took place in the early 1970's with his group Cold Chisel followed by a distinguished solo career in the 1980's that included soundtrack work for U.S. director Ron Howard's film Gung Ho, and, later, for the movie The Lost Boys.

Impressed on his first trip to Bali, Jimmy said, "Jane and I love the tropics – and the lifestyle here is just fantastic. The proximity to Australia and Thailand is another bonus."

Now that Jimmy and his family have discovered Bali, its very likely they'll soon be back for a return engagement.