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.