Last days of paradise

For centuries, the tourist island of Bali has attracted visitors from all over the world mainly due to the fact that it has been a teeming center of cultural activities in which all people of the island take part in endless dance parties, painting, sculpture exhibitions and religious festivities throughout the year. In short, the island has been bulging with cultural activities and international conventions of all kinds almost daily.

Any world traveler will not rest unless he or she has visited Bali. It has become the single most popular tourist destination among Europeans, Japanese and most of all, Australians. It seems that almost every Australian has been to Bali for a couple of days to enjoy their vacation on the small paradise island. Well known statesmen, poets, artists, journalist and sportsmen have visited Bali and returned home as if inspired by the island demons and the dynamism of its musical rhythm.

However on black Oct. 12, Saturday evening, tragedy struck on the island and almost made Bali disappear from the international tourist map. The bomb blast has sent shock waves, political and cultural, to all corners of the world. It has been described as the worst terrorist incident to hit Australia since World War II. In one night the peaceful island of Bali seemed to have stopped its breath and was declared to have vanished and with it the future of the island tourism industry. The people of Indonesia and of the world saw in disbelief the vast destruction caused by the bomb blast.

The motive of the blast seems to be politically to destabilize the economy and to discredit the government of Indonesia. The target was clearly the hundreds of Australian tourists who were holidaying nearby.

It is not an exaggeration to say that Bali is now dead and has spent its last days as a tourist island. And Indonesia has lost its most precious jewel.

GANDHI SUKARDI, Jakarta