Thousands gather in Bali to remember tragedy of bombings<\/p>\n
I Wayan Juniartha and Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Kuta, Bali<\/p>\n
One year after two powerful bombs exploded in Bali's popular
\nresort area of Kuta -- killing at least 202 people from 22
\ncountries -- thousands of people gathered here on Sunday to pray
\nand remember those who perished in the attacks.<\/p>\n
During poetry recitations many family members could not help
\nbut cry out with intense grief but at 11:08 p.m. a moment of
\nsilence was observed.<\/p>\n
At five minutes to midnight the public was welcomed to the
\nvenue to join in a candlelight vigil with the relatives of the
\ndead.<\/p>\n
The emotional ceremony ended smoothly and peacefully with the
\nlighting of a large candle and the release of pigeons as a symbol
\nof peace at around 0:12 a.m. on Monday.<\/p>\n
The solemn gathering conveyed a clear signal to global
\nterrorist groups across the world: that violence would never
\nbreak the bonds of love and unity among mankind.<\/p>\n
This feeling was evident in the words \"You killed the body but
\nnot our spirits\" emblazoned on yellow T-shirts worn by dozens of
\nparticipants.<\/p>\n
\"Basically, this ceremony is not to commemorate the violence
\nand tragedy the terrorists inflicted upon us, but to celebrate
\nour love and life,\" committee chairman Bagiana Karang said.<\/p>\n
\"The bombs failed to destroy the love and unity the Balinese
\nshare with people from all nations. Instead, the sufferings has
\nreinforced the bond among all of us,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The ceremony was held at the newly-built monument that lies
\nseveral meters from the former sites of the Sari Club and Paddy's
\nCafe, the main targets of the Oct. 12, 2002 bombings.<\/p>\n
Flags of countries that lost their citizens in the blasts, the
\nsecond worst after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New
\nYork and the Pentagon, flew above a granite wall inscribed with
\nthe names of all the victims.<\/p>\n
Since early Sunday morning, an endless flow of people have
\nflocked to the commemoration site. Some donned Balinese
\ntraditional costumes and carried offerings, while others wore
\ncasual attire with red roses in their hands.<\/p>\n
The ceremony started at around 8:00 a.m. with Badung Regent
\nTjok Ratmadi placing a flower wreath on the monument. A moment of
\nsilence was then observed followed by dozens of scouts
\ndistributing red roses.<\/p>\n
On the sidewalk across from the monument, relatives of the
\nvictims were overwhelmed by emotion, hugging the scouts while
\nsobbing silently.<\/p>\n
At about the same time, around 3,000 Hindus held a mass prayer
\nat Puputan Square in Denpasar, Bali. The session, in which they
\nasked God for the cessation of violence across the globe, was led
\nby high priest Ida Pedanda Bang Buruan Manuaba and also attended
\nby an entourage of Tibetan Buddhist monks led by Drugpa Rinpoche.<\/p>\n
Under the watchful eyes of 18 snipers and guarded by hovering
\npolice helicopters, Australian Prime Minister John Howard and his
\nwife Janet arrived at the monument at around 11:50 a.m. Howard
\nplaced a bouquet of flowers at the monument, followed by
\nAustralian Ambassador David Ritchie and opposition leader Simon
\nCrean.<\/p>\n
Howard then briefly inspected the mounting array of candles,
\nflowers and pictures that lay along the iron fence of the Sari
\nClub before walking across the street to the former site of
\nPaddy's Cafe.<\/p>\n
Australia suffered the heaviest loss as 88 Australian citizens
\nwere killed in the devastating blasts.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Sunday, Howard attended a morning mass with the
\nsurvivors and relatives of the victims at the Garuda Wisnu
\nKencana (GWK) cultural park in Jimbaran. Coordinating Minister
\nfor Security Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and speaker of the People's
\nConsultative Assembly Amien Rais were present there.<\/p>\n
Later in the evening, Howard attended the \"Paddle for Peace\"
\nwith hundreds of people on Kuta beach. Riding some 40 surfboards,
\nnative and foreign surfers \"danced with the waves\" and scattered
\nflower petals to the ocean. One of the surfer wore a curious
\nsweat shirt bearing the words \"Osama Don't Surf.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thousands-gather-in-bali-to-remember-tragedy-of-bombings-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}