Last days of paradise

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