Bali remains heaven for foreigners despite protests against U.S. attacks
Bali remains heaven for foreigners despite protests against U.S. attacks
I Wayan Juniartha and Onny Setiawan, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Balikpapan
While many areas in the archipelago have been feeling the heat
of protests against the U.S.-led air and missile attacks on
Afghanistan, Bali is an exception. The island of the gods remains
a paradise for foreigners.
One of the leading figures in Bali tourism, Jack Daniel said
in Denpasar on Tuesday that the Balinese had been able to
repeatedly demonstrate their proficiency in maintaining and
preserving the peace on this island.
The 48-year-old former PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association)
chairman has been living in Bali since 1994.
"My company regularly publishes an on-line newsletter Bali
Update, which has a readership of approximately 10,000 per week
around the world. Through the newsletter we try to convey the
message that Bali is safe and Bali is different," he said.
As of Oct. 7, 2001, around 917 U.S. citizens, 2,142 British,
1,941 German and 3,960 Australian citizens were staying in Bali.
The total number of foreign visitors currently in Bali is 22,791.
Separately, Lawrie Billington, a U.S. citizen currently living
with her family in the prime tourist area of Ubud, some 30
kilometers east of here, confirmed on Tuesday that everything was
going well on that day.
"I am OK, I did my work as usual; ran some errands. I did not
run into any trouble today, not that I expected to," she said.
Furthermore, Lawrie asserted that she was more concerned with
the possibility of a riot taking place in Bali as a backlash
against anti-American protests than worrying about her personal
safety.
With many villages in Bali placing their traditional guards on
alert, and a promise by the 800-strong Karangasem's Peoples
Council (DPMK) to fight any hostile act against foreigners, any
attempt by militant elements to conduct sweeping against U.S.
citizens would surely face strong opposition.
Another U.S. researcher, who has been living in Bali since
1989, said that he and his family would not leave Bali, despite
the growing anti-U.S. sentiment in various areas. He and his
wife, a local, live in Kesiman.
"I am quite sure that the Balinese will be able to maintain
the security situation here. So far everything is all right
around here," he said in fluent Bahasa Indonesia.
Meanwhile, in East Kalimantan, where at least 11 foreign
companies, including giant mining companies like Unocal
Indonesia, Virginia Indonesia and TotalFinaElf Indonesia,
operate, the situation remains peaceful.
American, Australian, British and French expatriates continue
to work in their offices without fear of attacks by radical
groups.
Unocal Co. Indonesia, an American multinational oil company,
which is the production sharing contractor for state-owned oil
and gas company Pertamina in Balikpapan, has taken some
preventive measures to protect their American staff.
"We have told the families to be more careful especially when
they intend to shop or to go outside the office and residential
complex," said Syam Sulistyo, public and media relations manager
at Unocal in Balikpapan.
East Kalimantan Police chief Insp. Gen. SY Wenas said that
police had stepped up security measures to protect around 300
Americans living in the province. "Protection of various
properties belonging to the joint-venture companies and the
Americans' personal belongings are also our focus."
Teddy Nawardin, head of external relations at PT Pupuk
Kalimantan Timur (PKT) Bontang said that the company had one
American who works as a marching band trainer. "There is nothing
to fear."
The situation was also calm in Sangatta, some 300 kilometers
north of Balikpapan, where Kaltim Prima Coal mining company
belonging to British Petroleum and Rio Tinto is located.
Simon Tingay, an Australian working for United Tractors, said
things were fine in Sangatta.