Bali Tourism News

FOR WAYAN, a Bali bombing survivor who runs a provisional shop in Kuta area, the road back is filled with painful memories. He was just 500 metres away from the bombing site on the day of 2002 bombing in Bali. The attack was the deadliest act of terrorism in the history of Indonesia, killing 202 people, 164 of whom were foreign nationals, including 88 Australians, and 38 Indonesian citizens.

“When the bomb went off, my TV and stereo jumped off the rack. I saw only the fire at the Sari Club. People were carrying bodies and injured people. I called a friend on my cell phone but he didn’t answer. I found out days later that my friend had died in hospital,” said Wayan. “But we have stood united and left that horrible day behind us,” he added.

Bali is the only Hindu dominated island of Indonesia, a biggest Muslim country in the world. Though the attacks carried out in Bali were aimed particularly at the foreign tourists, but many believe that if both communities – Muslims and Hindus – had not acted carefully after the attack, there was a chance of communal flare up. “Hindus and Muslims who live here for centuries made sure that the years old communal harmony didn’t fall pray to the terrorism,” said Adaan, 29, who works in a cafe in Kuta.

Just up the street from Adaan’s shop is a small garment shop, owned and operated by Nyoman Soladi, 32. ”I still don’t understand why they attacked us, killed so many innocent people. We have done nothing wrong to anybody,” said Soladi.

Today tourists are once again travelling to Bali. The island is abuzz with life and energy. People are piecing their lives with broad smiles on their faces. Across the street, the bombing site has been turned into memorial in Kuta and it attracts tourists, who gaze at the list of countries and names of the people killed in the 2002 Bali bombing.

“Who is their (perpetuators of Bali bombing) enemy,” asked Andy Harrison, 39, a British national who has been travelling to Bali for the last ten years, while pointing towards the memorial where the names of those who died in the bombing are engraved. ”Everybody is their enemy and they are the enemies of everybody,” he added.

The Bali bombing in 2002 left massive effect on tourism industry on which the life of most of Balinese is dependent. “Today if you roam around in Bali, you really don’t feel that this is the place where terrorists had created such a havoc. The people have just made it sure that they are not going to be overwhelmed by fear,” said Rita Widiadana, a Bali based correspondent of The Jakarta Post.

Dr John Harrison, manager of terrorism research institute of defense and strategic studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, said that there was still a threat of another attack in Indonesia. ”Though most of the top members of Jemaah Islamiyah have been arrested, but I think terrorists still have the capacity to attack Bali,” said Harrison.

But in the island, as Wayan said, people are strong believers of divine retribution and they believe in Karma. “Whoever would try to harm this beautiful place will get punished. But our religion is to live happily with others and to be nice to everybody,” said Wayan while putting offerings, made from plants and flowers on the ground. Before saying adieu, he invited me for the birthday party of his friend.