I Wayan Juniartha
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nDenpasar, Bali<\/p>\n
Balinese completed on Saturday preparations for the commemoration
\nof the first anniversary of the deadly bombings here on Sunday,
\nwhich will unite people of various nationalities.<\/p>\n
Australian Prime Minister John Howard arrived here on Saturday
\nto head the international community during the memorial service
\nto remember those who perished in the blasts that ripped through
\ntwo nightspots in the popular tourist resort of Kuta a year ago.<\/p>\n
"I hope that the event planned for this weekend will provide
\ncomfort and support for the families," he said at Ngurah Rai
\ninternational airport.<\/p>\n
As many as 202 people from 22 countries were killed in the
\nblasts on Oct. 12 last year, the worst since the terrorist
\nattacks in the U.S. on Sept. 11 a year earlier.<\/p>\n
The commemoration ceremony will start at around 8 a.m., with
\nBadung regent Tjok Ratmadi officially opening a multifaith prayer
\nsession. Participants will then scatter flower petals at the
\nblast site on land opposite the former Sari Club.<\/p>\n
The local authorities will close the Legian area of Kuta to
\nvehicles for 24 hours, starting from 6 a.m. on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Howard will have to walk, along with thousands of others, to
\nthe location where the Ground Zero monument will be built. He is
\nslated to lay a wreath before leading at least 700 relatives of
\nAustralian people killed in the bombings in a moment of silence,
\nin remembrance of the 88 Australians who perished in the
\nterrorist attack.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri has asked Coordinating
\nMinister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono to accompany Howard during the event.<\/p>\n
Flags of the countries of origin of the Bali bombing victims
\nwill be raised at the monument,<\/p>\n
The memorial service will reach a climax at around 11:30 p.m.,
\nwhen participants are expected to march silently from Kuta beach
\nto the monument.<\/p>\n
At the monument, a one-meter-tall candle will be lit, followed
\nby the lighting of thousands of candles held by participants.
\nAfter the reading of poems, the ceremony will be closed with the
\nparticipants praying together for a violence-free world.<\/p>\n
Event organizing committee chairman Bagiana Karang said
\neverything was ready for the ceremony.<\/p>\n
"We have only to make several small, finishing touches and we
\nshall be ready for tomorrow's event," he said.<\/p>\n
These included erecting several penjor (bamboo poles decorated
\nwith colorful flowers, plants and coconut leaves) around the
\nmonument and placing dozens of sentir (small, coconut-oil lamps)
\nin front of Sari Club and Paddy's, where the bombs exploded last
\nyear.<\/p>\n
With the Bali administration reluctant to organize an official
\nmemorial service, most of the organizing and preparatory work was
\nleft to local people and traditional community organizations.<\/p>\n
Separately, several survivors of the bombings said although
\nthey were still traumatized by the tragedy, they would turn up
\nfor the event.<\/p>\n
"I will come anyway. But I don't know how I will cope with my
\nfeelings and emotions. Two days ago I briefly visited the site;
\nmy emotions ran high and I collapsed," a survivor, Chusnul
\nKhotimah, said.<\/p>\n
She is recovering from severe burns to many parts of her body.
\nShe was strolling along a narrow alley next to Paddy's when a
\npowerful explosion threw an electricity pole onto her. She was
\nflown to Australia where she underwent plastic surgery. She is
\ndue for further surgery at the end of this year.<\/p>\n
Chusnul and around 30 other survivors and victims' relatives
\nattended a briefing held by the Bali Hati Foundation, one of
\nseveral non-governmental organizations that has been assisting
\nextensively the blast victims and their families.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of police personnel have already been deployed in the
\narea around the monument since Friday night.<\/p>\n
To the south of the monument, a white mobile command unit is
\nparked. This newly acquired surveillance and supervision vehicle
\nis heavily laden with sophisticated audiovisual equipment that
\nallows the police operational commander to direct personnel from
\nhis office, some 15 kilometers away in Denpasar.<\/p>\n
Over 2,000 officers and 500 pecalang (traditional security
\npersonnel) will provide security at the ceremony.<\/p>\n
Related stories on Pages 2, 5, 6, 15
\nImages on Page 20<\/p>",
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