Mourners show unity, solidarity
Mourners show unity, solidarity
I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Kuta, Bali
As all of about 2,000 candles were lit, the area around the Bali
monument in Kuta gradually transformed into a sea of waving
light.
"It is as if we are trying to push away the darkness that has
engulfed our hearts these few years. For me, it is a symbolic act
of substituting the curse of darkness, be it in the form of pain,
anger or hatred, with the grace of light in the form of love,
forgiveness and compassion," Balinese poet Cokorda
Sawitri said.
The candlelight vigil was the peak of the second commemoration
of the tragedy, in which 202 people were killed after two
powerful bombs exploded on Oct. 12, 2002 inside two of Kuta's
fully-packed nightclubs.
Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. Made Mangku Pastika, who played a
pivotal role in the investigation and the arrests of the
terrorists responsible for the bombing, was given the honor of
lighting the first candle. With the names of the bombing victims,
engraved on the monument's black granite as the backdrop, Pastika
spoke about the meaning behind the event.
"We are not commemorating the pain or the suffering. Instead,
we are commemorating the love, compassion, courage and spirit of
brotherhood that had been shown by the people of Kuta and other
nations during those difficult days. Those are the things we are
always longing for," he said.
The head of the commemoration committee Bagiana Karang said
the event was organized by the people of Kuta, including its
expatriate communities, since the government of Bali had showed
its reluctance to conduct such an event.
"We have organized this commemoration because we feel that it
is our moral responsibility to keep reminding the world of those
who fell on that infamous night, and of the power of love and
solidarity the people from different races, nationalities and
creeds showed on the days following the cowardly attack," Bagiana
said.
"Most importantly, we want to show the world that terrorism
will never win. Instead of destroying and dividing us, the attack
has made us grow stronger and more united," he said.
Earlier in the afternoon, thousands of people flocked to the
Puputan Margarana Square in Denpasar's Renon area to rejoice and
pray together in a religious event called the Gema Perdamaian
(Echo of Peace).
The square was transformed into a colorful sea of religious
robes -- the Buddhist's ocher, the Ananda Marga's orange and the
Balinese Hindu's white. Like a fresh breeze, children ran to and
fro carrying colorful placards emblazoned with slogans of love
and peace.
After conducting a pada yatra (peace march) Muslims, Hindus
and Falun Gong practitioners sat side by side, fresh roses in
their hands, immersing themselves in the chants of peace and love
of different beliefs.
"This is a clear message that all religions promote love and
compassion and do not condone any act of terrorism or violence
that targets innocents or civilian lives," a member of the
organizing committee, I Made Suryawan, said.