No confirmation of attack on tourists

No confirmation of attack on tourists

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The German Embassy in Jakarta said on Monday it had found no
confirmation about media reports that two German tourists were
recently received an unprovoked beating in Mataram, West Nusa
Tenggara province.

First Secretary for Public and Cultural Affairs Hendrik
Barkeling said he had contacted representatives in Bali and
Lombok, but no evidence was collected.

"Until now we don't have anything confirmed. But we still keep
on continuing the inquiry," Barkeling told The Jakarta Post by
telephone here.

He said his staff in Bali and Lombok had done their best to
inquire about the alleged attack on the German tourists but,
"They were unable to obtain either their identity or report if
the tourists were hospitalized. It is very, very unclear."

Barkeling was commenting on the report that two German
tourists were beaten after apparently being mistaken for
Americans by a group of local Muslims.

Putu Aria Tusan, a worker at the local association of tour and
travel agencies, said earlier the two Germans were hit and kicked
while watching a display of the traditional local game peresean
in the city last week.

Meanwhile Tim Stuart, marketing manager of Lombok-Sumbawa
Tourism Promotion Board strongly denied the report.

"On talking with Mr. Putu (the source of the news) it now
appears he had 'overheard' that two tourists had been kicked by
some locals about two weeks ago. The place the incident occurred
is unknown, so-called victims' names unknown, and no
corresponding police reports filed," Stuart said in a release,
copies of which was distributed to the Post on Monday.