Rethinking and reshaping Bali after the attack<\/p>\n
Ida Ayu Agung Mas, Contributor, Gianyar, Bali<\/p>\n
The bombing of Kuta, Bali's most popular tourist destination,
\nshocked almost all Balinese, who are very proud of their island's
\nbeauty, prosperity and safety.<\/p>\n
\"The paradise island of Bali is safe\", says a tourism slogan
\nthat had, for so long, epitomized the Balinese, known as a
\npeaceful and tolerant society.<\/p>\n
All of a sudden, the bombing abruptly awakened them, forcing
\nthem to face a bleak reality and swallow a bitter pill.<\/p>\n
Black Saturday\", disturbed the emotion of \"civilized\" people,
\nnot only in Bali but also the whole world.<\/p>\n
The powerful destruction caused by the bombing has destroyed
\nnothing but the pride and dreams of the Balinese, especially
\nthose who rarely view Kuta as their own.<\/p>\n
The famous and glittering Kuta, now in ruins, is actually a
\n\"faraway\" place for the majority of local people who happily work
\nthe rice fields or live on the slopes of mountainous areas --
\nspending their days engaged in straightforward and regular
\nactivities, praying and coming together at village community
\ncenters, strongly believing that their gods and ancestors would
\nalways guide and protect them from harmful influences.<\/p>\n
When the bombs destroyed part of Legian, Kuta, these
\nunsophisticated people could not comprehend why such a bad thing
\ncould have happened on their spiritually \"protected\" soil.<\/p>\n
The metropolis of Kuta, developed as Bali's top entertainment
\ncenter from the early '80s, had never been part of these ordinary
\npeople's lives. The area had become highly popular, mostly with
\nforeign surfers and tourists, especially those from Australia.
\nOpulent tourists found Kuta too crowded and preferred to spend
\ntheir holiday at quieter locations.<\/p>\n
Just ask any elderly Balinese, particularly those living in
\nremote villages, whether they frequently visited Kuta. Most of
\nthem might never have been there at all.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, local youths viewed Kuta as their ticket to
\na successful and prosperous life. Kuta became their utmost dream.
\nThey were seeking something they could not find in their
\nhometowns or villages.<\/p>\n
Compared with humble Balinese villages, Kuta was indeed a
\nprosperous place, filled with \"beautiful\" and sports-loving
\npeople, but it had become alienated from its locals.<\/p>\n
In the perspective of Bali's development programs, Kuta is
\npart of the wealthy regency of Badung, home to simple cottages
\nand star-rated hotels, restaurants, cafes, discotheques and
\nboutiques selling local- and foreign-labeled goods.<\/p>\n
Kuta will continue to grow. It grew rapidly in the post-reform
\nperiod, after the World Trade Center terrorist attack and will
\nprobably do so again after the Oct. 12 Kuta bombing.<\/p>\n
Placing Kuta on the Balinese conceptual map would be very
\ndifficult.<\/p>\n
Various analyses have been made to find out possible mistakes
\nin the development of Kuta and its adjacent areas as the island's
\nprominent tourist destination. The rapid growth of Kuta has
\noccurred beyond both control and compromise with awig-awig
\n(local, traditional regulations).<\/p>\n
As a tourist destination, Kuta has greatly contributed to the
\ndegradation of Bali island. In the era of regional autonomy, Kuta
\nhad become a bad example of how tourism in other parts of the
\nisland could be developed.<\/p>\n
The poor development of Kuta has also clearly reflected the
\nweak and inconsistent policies implemented by the current
\ndecision makers.<\/p>\n
At present, entire communities and locations on the island
\nhave suffered badly from the Kuta bombing.<\/p>\n
The reconstruction of Bali's existing development programs can
\nonly be carried out gradually because of the island's strong
\ndependence on tourism-related businesses.<\/p>\n
Isolating Bali from outside influences -- like migrants,
\ntourists and investors -- will not make the situation better than
\nit is now.<\/p>\n
The big questions remain unanswered. As of now, most people in
\nBali would like to see and hear real action being taken by the
\nlocal authorities in dealing with and considering the Kuta issue.<\/p>\n
So far, their efforts have been limited to receiving
\ncondolences from sympathetic parties, showering flowers on the
\nbombsites and accompanying visiting guests from domestic and
\nforeign institutions. What else are they (government officials)
\ndoing?<\/p>\n
Kuta was just an example of their flawed approach to
\ndevelopment projects. From now on, all components of Balinese
\nsociety must stand side by side to rebuild the shattered Bali in
\na wiser and more professional way.<\/p>\n
One other important point: Bali is much more than just Kuta.<\/p>\n
-- The writer is a lecturer in tourism at Udayana University,
\nDenpasar, and founder of a village-based sustainable tourism
\nbody, SuaBali Foundation.<\/p>",
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