Bali attempts to cleanse island of evil spirits

Bali attempts to cleanse island of evil spirits

Rita A Widiadana and I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Kuta, Bali

Thousands of people commemorated on Friday the bomb blast that
claimed nearly 200 lives at the tourist resort of Kuta, marking
an end to their one month of mourning and a fresh start to their
lives.

Many climbed atop charred vehicles, cracked cement slabs and
piles of rubble as men chanted prayers, children danced and women
prepared offerings of food, flowers and sacrificed animals.

"The sadness of Bali is the sadness of the world,"
Coordinating Minister for Peoples' Welfare Jusuf Kalla told the
worshipers. "Terrorism on Indonesian soil is a clear and present
danger."

Kalla, who represented the Indonesian government, led a
minute's silence to pay homage to the deceased, which was
observed nationwide.

Smaller ceremonies led by Balinese Hindus were also held on
Friday and Saturday at the site of the World Trade Center attack
in New York and also in London, Sydney, Toronto and San
Francisco, the Associated Press reported.

At about the same time, every family in Bali also conducted a
small purification ceremony at their respective family shrines.

All roads heading to Kuta beach, usually flocked by tourists,
were quiet. Lines of arts shops and boutiques were closed. Only a
few restaurants remained open.

"Everybody wants to participate at the Tawur Gentuh ceremony
on the beach," said Made Kadi, a security officer at a hotel
here.

The mass ritual, Pemarisudha Karipubhaya, was aimed at
cleansing the island of evil spirits that inspired the bombing
and to guide the victims' souls to the afterlife in peace.

The main ceremony took place simultaneously at two separate
locations -- the blast site and the outer court of the Segara
temple, Kuta beach.

Amid scorching sun some 6,000 Balinese flocked to the blast
site alongside the husband of President Megawati Soekarnoputri,
Taufik Kiemas, 10 Cabinet ministers, 13 consuls and nine
ambassadors, who included Ralph Boyce of the U.S. and his British
counterpart, Richard Gozney.

Megawati, who was expected to participate, was absent.

The ceremony was also attended by some 51 relatives of the
Australian victims and Minister of Health Kay Paterson.

Chief of the police joint inquiry team Insp. Gen. I Made
Mangku Pastika, Bali governor I Dewa Beratha and Badung regent
Tjok Ratmadi attended the ceremony in full traditional Balinese
costume.

Representatives of religious leaders of four other major
religions were also present.

Security was very tight during the ceremony, with plainclothes
officers equipped with metal detectors standing at each entry
point to the blast site.

Dozens of uniformed Army soldiers holding rifles were seen
guarded the VIP section.

"With the completion of the ceremony, we expect that
everything will be in harmony. What's more important, the
ceremony could become a gateway for us, the Balinese people and
Indonesian citizens, to bring back our sense of humanity and
brotherhood, which have been lost from our lives," Ida Bagus
Wijayakusuma, head of Badung's religious affairs office, said.

Five Hindu high priests, pedanda, presided over the ceremony.
They comprised Ida Rsi Bujangga of the Waisnawa sect, Ida Pedanda
Budha of the Bodha sect, and from the Siwa Siddhanta sect Ida
Pedanda Gde Bhaskara, Ida Pedanda Gde Oka Timbul and the
ceremony's yajamana (supreme guide) Ida Pedanda Putra Bajing.

The priests intoned prayers, holy water was sprinkled on
crowds at the scene of the blast and animals were ferried out to
sea to be drowned during the purification ritual near Kuta beach.

Attendants, clad in white or in white T-shirts with the
bilingual slogan "Bali loves peace," watched at Kuta beach as
fishing boats carrying sacrificial animals were pushed out
through the surf.

The sacrifice ritual, Tawur Gentuh, was the peak of the
ceremony, aimed at sending the disturbed souls into a peaceful
"place."

"The bombing claimed so many lives. Their unseen forces and
spirits were still hanging around the atmosphere of Bali. The
ceremony will send their souls to the sea," Wijayakusuma said.

Referring to the animal presentation and slaughter of dozens
of animals, which has drawn criticism from animal activists, Ida
Bagus explained all sacrifice rituals were meant to "satisfy "
the evil spirits that cause both small and large problems for
humankind.

"The animals are symbolically presented as 'gifts' to the
butha," he said, referring to evil spirits.

Indonesian police have in custody only one suspect in the bomb
attack, a 40-year-old former mechanic, identified only as Amrozi,
who confessed to providing the minivan used in the Sari Club
bombing.

Regional terror group Jemaah Islamiyah, allegedly linked to
al-Qaeda, is reportedly seeking to impose a pan-Islamic state in
Southeast Asia, and has emerged as the prime suspect in the
blast.

Bali Governor Dewa Baratha insisted the island would recover
from the blasts, which crippled the tourism industry.

Added Jusuf Kalla: "After introspecting ourselves, regretting
the mistakes that have been made and condemning the blatant act
of terrorism, now let us think of necessary steps that we have to
take for the better life of Balinese and the Indonesian people in
general in the future",