Discontentment grows at tourist projects in Bali

JAKARTA (JP): On a rainy morning in February l994, thousands of people strolled the major streets of Denpasar, the capital of Bali, Indonesia's most popular tourist destination.

Religious processions involving huge numbers of people are common in Bali, where religious and traditional values are strongly held. It is a part of their cultural life, which has strong tourist appeal.

But that February's procession, which involved Bali's prominent scholars, artists and religious leaders, did not attract tourists and it did not wind toward a pura (Hindu temple) or other sacred places. Instead, the procession marched to the provincial House of Representatives office to protest against the regional government's approval of the construction of a multimillion dollar holiday resort, Bali Nirwana Resort.

The planned resort is located within walking distance of Pura Tanah Lot, one of the holiest temples for Hindu Bali devotees. Built in the 15th century, the temple is located in Tabanan regency, 40 kilometers south of Denpasar.

For many Balinese, the US$200 million project, due to open next month, threatens the sanctity of the temple. The project violates a gubernatorial decree which protects the temple from tourist development.

The feeling of discontent among the Balinese was so strong that for the first time, the central board of the Parishada Hindu Dharma, the highest Hindu body, has sharply criticized the Bali provincial government for issuing permits for this controversial project. According to Parishada, any development unrelated to religious needs is forbidden within a two kilometer radius of Pura Tanah Lot.

Waves of protests, demonstrations and parliamentary debates on the luxury resort project has continued since construction started two years ago.

Controversy over the Bali Nirwana project is more than a simple tale of modernity clashing with traditional beliefs and values. It is a common problem facing almost all developing nations in maintaining their cultural heritage amid rapidly growing economic forces.

French anthropologist Michel Picard, an expert on Balinese culture and tourism, told The Jakarta Post that the mounting protests against the project are very serious.

Picard said many Balinese are becoming tired of various touristic activities that have long been eroding their cultural and traditional values. The Bali Nirwana project is just one example of a lack of communication between the government, investors and the host communities. There will be many more development activities which will arouse bitter opposition from local people, he warned.

Opposition

In the past few years, protests have been lodged against several ambitious tourist projects such as the construction of the 149-meter Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue in Jimbaran and five- star holiday resorts in Ubud, Gianyar, which swallowed the regency's rice fields and residential areas.

But, in the case of the Bali Nirwana project, the protest is much stronger. Local people have taken a firm stance. It is the first time the majority of Balinese have dared to express their displeasure of the government over the development of tourist facilities, since the island was widely exposed and promoted for tourism and investment several decades ago, Picard said.

"More and more Balinese people are now becoming aware of the importance of maintaining their cultural and traditional beliefs rather than sacrificing them for the sake of tourism," he explained.

One of Bali's most respected religious leaders Ibu Gedong Bagoes Oka once led her congregation in a special ritual. Their prayers were directed against the Bali Nirwana project. "We are against Bali becoming the pleasure park of the world," warned Ibu Gedong.

True, Bali is now a paradise for many backpackers as well as affluent tourists. Ubud, Nusa Dua and Jimbaran offer luxurious and sophisticated holiday resorts completed with art adventures for the affluent. The beautiful Kuta, Sanur and Legian beaches, which were once a source of aesthetic inspiration for world-class artists, have been transformed into glittering entertainment places to cater to low to middle-class tourists.

Lines of cafes, restaurants, pubs and high-decibel discos are emerging in every corner of Kuta. The smell of flowers and dupa (incest) which used to fill Kuta's air has been replaced by the aroma of alcoholic drinks, cigarettes and even marijuana smoked by foreigners as well as local people. The mantra has been replaced by heavy metal and grunge music.

Prosperity

There is no denying that tourist development has brought greater economic prosperity to the island's three million populace.

Tourism with activities such as handicrafts and cottage industries has boosted the island's economic growth, replacing agriculture as the leading sector of its Gross Domestic Regional Product. Signs of prosperity are seen everywhere on the island since Ngurah Rai International Airport was opened for domestic and foreign travel in l969.

Offering white sands, pristine beaches and centuries-old cultural traditions, Bali attracts about 2 million visitors from Asia-Pacific countries, Europe, America and Canada, or 30 percent of Indonesia's total foreign visitors.

Bali is the country's top earner in tourism. No other place in Indonesia enjoys this status.

There are more than 200 star-rated hotels with occupancy rates of 59.37 percent compared with Jakarta which reaches at only 56.36 percent. About one fourth of Bali has been developed for tourism.

An official of the regional tourism planning agency boasts that if there was no tourism, Bali could not develop. "In Bali, there is no other choice," the official said.

Yet the uneven distribution of tourism's economic benefits within the population and throughout the island, as well as the growing encroachment of foreign interests, remain of serious concern, not to mention the severe degradation of the environment which is rapidly eroding the island's touristic appeal.

Tourism has also has serious social and cultural implications. This is the price the Balinese have to pay as their culture becomes a tourist interest.

Ida Bagus Ratta, a professor at Udayana University, however, named cultural disrespect as a more serious threat to the Balinese identity and cultural heritage.

The professor said government officials, private investors, tourists as well as local people should learn more about the culture and traditions of Balinese people.

Many people also accuse the provincial government of "selling" their land to money-oriented investors. For this, the local government has a good reason, as Governor Ida Bagus Oka pointed out with: "We want to spread the economic prosperity throughout the province. All development projects are aimed at improving the life of local people."

The governor's remark is probably right. Those living near the Bali Nirwana project have found the value of their land has increased. One resident sold his three hectares of paddy fields for Rp 300 million ($127,660).

"It is enough to buy a car and a house near the village," he smiled.

But is it just a matter of money? (raw)