Bali remains heaven for foreigners despite protests against U.S. attacks<\/p>\n
I Wayan Juniartha and Onny Setiawan, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Balikpapan<\/p>\n
While many areas in the archipelago have been feeling the heat
\nof protests against the U.S.-led air and missile attacks on
\nAfghanistan, Bali is an exception. The island of the gods remains
\na paradise for foreigners.<\/p>\n
One of the leading figures in Bali tourism, Jack Daniel said
\nin Denpasar on Tuesday that the Balinese had been able to
\nrepeatedly demonstrate their proficiency in maintaining and
\npreserving the peace on this island.<\/p>\n
The 48-year-old former PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association)
\nchairman has been living in Bali since 1994.<\/p>\n
\"My company regularly publishes an on-line newsletter Bali
\nUpdate, which has a readership of approximately 10,000 per week
\naround the world. Through the newsletter we try to convey the
\nmessage that Bali is safe and Bali is different,\" he said.<\/p>\n
As of Oct. 7, 2001, around 917 U.S. citizens, 2,142 British,
\n1,941 German and 3,960 Australian citizens were staying in Bali.
\nThe total number of foreign visitors currently in Bali is 22,791.<\/p>\n
Separately, Lawrie Billington, a U.S. citizen currently living
\nwith her family in the prime tourist area of Ubud, some 30
\nkilometers east of here, confirmed on Tuesday that everything was
\ngoing well on that day.<\/p>\n
\"I am OK, I did my work as usual; ran some errands. I did not
\nrun into any trouble today, not that I expected to,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, Lawrie asserted that she was more concerned with
\nthe possibility of a riot taking place in Bali as a backlash
\nagainst anti-American protests than worrying about her personal
\nsafety.<\/p>\n
With many villages in Bali placing their traditional guards on
\nalert, and a promise by the 800-strong Karangasem's Peoples
\nCouncil (DPMK) to fight any hostile act against foreigners, any
\nattempt by militant elements to conduct sweeping against U.S.
\ncitizens would surely face strong opposition.<\/p>\n
Another U.S. researcher, who has been living in Bali since
\n1989, said that he and his family would not leave Bali, despite
\nthe growing anti-U.S. sentiment in various areas. He and his
\nwife, a local, live in Kesiman.<\/p>\n
\"I am quite sure that the Balinese will be able to maintain
\nthe security situation here. So far everything is all right
\naround here,\" he said in fluent Bahasa Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in East Kalimantan, where at least 11 foreign
\ncompanies, including giant mining companies like Unocal
\nIndonesia, Virginia Indonesia and TotalFinaElf Indonesia,
\noperate, the situation remains peaceful.<\/p>\n
American, Australian, British and French expatriates continue
\nto work in their offices without fear of attacks by radical
\ngroups.<\/p>\n
Unocal Co. Indonesia, an American multinational oil company,
\nwhich is the production sharing contractor for state-owned oil
\nand gas company Pertamina in Balikpapan, has taken some
\npreventive measures to protect their American staff.<\/p>\n
\"We have told the families to be more careful especially when
\nthey intend to shop or to go outside the office and residential
\ncomplex,\" said Syam Sulistyo, public and media relations manager
\nat Unocal in Balikpapan.<\/p>\n
East Kalimantan Police chief Insp. Gen. SY Wenas said that
\npolice had stepped up security measures to protect around 300
\nAmericans living in the province. \"Protection of various
\nproperties belonging to the joint-venture companies and the
\nAmericans' personal belongings are also our focus.\"<\/p>\n
Teddy Nawardin, head of external relations at PT Pupuk
\nKalimantan Timur (PKT) Bontang said that the company had one
\nAmerican who works as a marching band trainer. \"There is nothing
\nto fear.\"<\/p>\n
The situation was also calm in Sangatta, some 300 kilometers
\nnorth of Balikpapan, where Kaltim Prima Coal mining company
\nbelonging to British Petroleum and Rio Tinto is located.<\/p>\n
Simon Tingay, an Australian working for United Tractors, said
\nthings were fine in Sangatta.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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