http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/10/0...asts/index.html


Bali terrorist blasts kill at least 26

Bloody attacks recall 2002 bombings linked to al Qaeda



(CNN) -- Terrorists brought death to Indonesia's Bali paradise for the second time in three years Saturday, as blasts killed at least 26 people at two resort spots packed with tourists.

The series of blasts began in the resort area of Jimbaran Bay, where there were two explosions at about 8 p.m. Saturday night (8 a.m. ET). They were followed minutes later by one or more blasts at Kuta, 30 kilometers away.

In addition to the 26 fatalities, hospital officials said 102 people were wounded.

Earlier, officials said 36 people had died, but on Sunday morning, Sanglah Hospital in Bali -- charged with overseeing the emergency response -- reduced the number of dead to 26.

A hospital emergency room where victims were treated resembled a war zone, journalist Sean Mulcahy told CNN. (Watch chaotic aftermath of Bali blasts -- 1:30)

"The ground is just covered in blood, people walking around with arms missing," said Mulcahy, who, at the time of the blasts, happened to be next door to a restaurant that was hit in the town of Kuta.

The attack came almost exactly three years after terrorists bombed Kuta nightclubs on October 12, 2002 -- killing 202 people.

"People were just starting to build up confidence again, and to have this happen was devastating for the locals. But I think it's the nail in the coffin for people coming to this place," Mulcahy said.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono condemned Saturday's bombings as an act of terrorism. There were no immediate claims of responsibility.

But terrorism expert Rohan Gunaratna told CNN that the attacks had the hallmarks of Jemaah Islamiyah -- a Southeast Asian terrorist group with ties to al Qaeda.

"There is no other group with this level of capability," he said.

The 2002 bombings were blamed on Jemaah Islamiyah.

Four key militants involved in the 2002 attack have been sentenced -- three to death -- while dozens of others have also been convicted.

Video of the scene in Kuta showed glass windows of several upscale stores shattered, glass littering the street, and the awning of Raja's noodle house blown askew.

Maria Bakkalapulo, a journalist who arrived at Kuta about an hour after the blasts, said it appeared a bomb detonated inside Raja's, which "was pretty much gutted."

According to unconfirmed reports, a second bomb detonated on the restaurant's second floor, Bakkalapulo said.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan joined Yudhoyono in condemning the latest attacks in Bali, as did other world leaders.

The White House issued a statement Saturday offering sympathy to victims, "their families and the people of Bali who have suffered meaningless violence before. We also express our solidarity with the government of Indonesia and convey our readiness to assist in any way."

Australian Prime Minister John Howard told the Nine television network on Sunday morning that he was horrified and deeply saddened by the attacks, which he characterized as an attempt to undermine democracy in Indonesia.

He said Australia was offering medical evacuation facilities to Indonesia for anybody wounded in the blasts.

Kuta and Jimbaran -- the other resort spot targeted -- were "chock-a-block" with tourists celebrating a holiday weekend, Mulcahy said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said reports indicate the blasts appeared to have occurred only minutes apart.
'Tried to save myself'

In the Jimbaran attack, two explosions tore through a long row of outdoor tables at a beachfront cafe where tourists often gather to watch the sun set, Mulcahy said. The blast sites were about 40 meters apart, he said.

Ketut Suartana, 33, told Reuters he was eating when the first Jimbaran bomb exploded.

"We were eating and suddenly it just went dark," Suartana said from a hospital bed, where he was treated for scratches on his face and chest.

"I tried to run but I kept falling over. Then the second blast happened. People were in panic. I just tried to save myself."

Mulcahy -- who felt the blast while inside a restaurant next to Raja's -- had plans to dine with friends at Jimbaran, but the streets were backed up with heavy traffic so they headed to Kuta, instead.

"Had we gone to Jimbaran, we would more than likely be dead," Mulcahy said.

The attack left tourists filled with "fear and terror," and they are fleeing their hotels in Bali with suitcases in hand, Mulcahy said.

"I imagine they'll put on extra flights to cope with the amount of people that are leaving," he said.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told Australia's ABC radio that a 16-year-old Australian boy was among those killed, and there were "grave fears" for two other Australians.

Downer said it appeared most of those killed were Indonesian. He said 17 Australians were among the injured. Local media reports also said several foreigners are among those wounded.

So far 15 bodies had been identified, according to Reuters news agency, quoting hospital officials. It said among the dead were 12 Indonesians, including a six-year-old boy, two Australians and a Japanese national.

The wounded included 17 Australians, six South Koreans, three Americans, three Japanese and one Briton.

Downer said Australia was sending a response team to Bali, and Australian Federal Police were ready to work with their Indonesian colleagues in investigating the attacks.
Warnings of terrorism

Shortly after Saturday's blast, Yudhoyono addressed the nation on state television, expressing his concern and condemning what he called a terrorist attack.

"These were clearly acts of terrorism because the victims were indiscriminately chosen and the targets were public areas. As president and on behalf of the Republic of Indonesia, I strongly condemn these inhuman acts," the leader said.

Yudhoyono said he had received intelligence information in July about terrorist elements in Malaysia and Philippines planning to target Indonesia, and had increased security in Jakarta and Bali as a precaution.

Recently, Yudhoyono issued a warning that terrorist cells inside the country were still active, despite hundreds of arrests.

Several other governments, including the United States, had warned about a high terrorist threat to foreigners in Indonesia ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins next week.

A report issued in early September warned that Osama bin Laden and his top lieutenant, Ayman al-Zawahiri, may be planning a series of attacks in October, dubbed "The Great Ramadan Offensive."

On Friday the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta reiterated its warning of last May that the threat of terrorism is high and Americans there should be vigilant.

"Attacks could occur at any time and could be directed against any location, including those frequented by foreigners and identifiably American or other western facilities or businesses in Indonesia," the message said.

The island of Bali -- a popular spot for international tourists -- is a Hindu enclave in Indonesia, which has the highest Muslim population of any nation in the world.

The Australian government warned immediately after the Saturday night blasts that the possibility of further explosions could not be ruled out. It urged Australians in Bali to remain in their hotels.

Aside from the 2002 Bali attack, there have been a number of other terrorist incidents in Indonesia in recent years.

The Australian embassy in Jakarta was bombed in September 2004 in an attack that left 10 people dead, while in August 2003, 12 people were killed after a suicide bomber struck the J.W. Marriott hotel in Jakarta. Both attacks were blamed on JI.

Australia and the United States consider Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir to be the spiritual head of JI.

In March this year, Ba'asyir was sentenced to 30 months in jail for involvement in the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings, but was cleared of all other terror-related charges, including those related to the Marriott Hotel bombing.

CNN's Elaine Quijano and Geoff Hiscock, and journalists John Aglionby and Maria Ressa contributed to this report.



Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/10/0...asts/index.html

LOLZ.. what do you expect us to say? Why should we care what you do? You can become a citizen of Philippines or Thailand or Ethiopia, it's up to you.

IMO It's absolutely selfish and inappropriate that while Bali got bombed, you are the one complaining as if you are the victim.

I am tired defending Indonesia everytime people asking me those questions. They are nice to me. But, behind my back, I don't know.  Maybe, I will move to another different church, another city, and tell people that:

I am a Philipino or I am a Thailand

So, I don't need to defend Indonesia no more.

i hate terrorists!

so, what's your way of dealing with terrorists?

so, what's your way of dealing with terrorists?

This is why i think religion is bull$hit. Too many innocents die over ideology.

I heard that Indonesia has the biggest islamic population in the world.......how can we hope to solve islamic terrorism elsewhere when even in Predominantly muslim countries they are yet to control these kind of ppl???

It's all very sad....and all getting totally outta hand across the globe.....

Ibu Wulandari may sound selfish but she is actually very tired, very sad and deeply in pain.

Like today's younger generation Indonesians , Ibu generation were once young and hopefull too;
at one time or more, they always think the very best for their country.
They were full of hope: they studied hard; they served and contributed with all their heart,
hoping that they are part of the solutions to the country's problems.

However, their country's problems are so huge and complex that their dreams were crushed time after time.
They felt so helpless and hopeless; leaving the country became their final and only option!




She sound very very tired. She is so tired that she want to turn her back to her people, however her love for her country would not allow her to do just that and that is the reason she is telling us all this in this public forum.

Again Ibu Wulandari, we all love you and we love your openness and honesty!
Your generation's hard works are not in vain!


Dear Purnomor, I can understand your frustration.
We all really need to pray hard to the Almighty for the country, beg for mercy for everyone in Indonesia,
especially the homeless and penniless millions; these are the people suffered the most!

My dear Lao

Thank you for your lovely support. I always love my country and my people.



However, many people in Indonesia have no idea how to become an Indonesian (with brown skin and big eye) in America here. Everytime I introduce my self to people that I am from Indonesia, they give me strange looks.

They said: "Uhh.....Indonesia huh? Hmmmm...................."

They don't say something impolite in front of me, they just give me a look, as if I were an alien, worse, a terrorist. Lucky me, I am a lady and not young anymore, so they don't say something rude.

But, my friends from Philipines and Thailands (the same brown skins and big eyes) don't get that kind of strange looks. Americans treat them well. I thought, it is just coincidence about that kind of strange looks, but when I talked to other Indonesians (with brown skins and big eye), they say they get strange looks from Americans too. It is just Chinese from Indonesia who don't get that kind of strange looks. My children and my husband are lucky. They look like Chinese. I am not that lucky.

Indonesia is a land of riches in natural and people resources; languages and dialects, cultures, foods, music, religions, etc. The varieties and the differences of this land are as huge and numerous as the numbers of islands She consisted of.
The people in this island country are almost 100% theists; they believe in THE ALMGHTY.This common faith in the Almighty of either Muslins, Christians or any other faiths is one of the common denominator that hold Indonesians together like the water and the air that the lands depended on.

Since the country independence 1949, we have made too much mistakes but for sure we have never lacks of trying! We are one of the most rich, most beautiful, most brilliant and hardest working people on earth (I personally disagree with the overwork ethic and habit of the Chinese or the Japanese.) and yet we failed again and again! We seems to be always haunted by one disaster after another, no ending like our Rupiah ballooning itself almost out of existence!

We as human have failed! We all once have high hope, however the reality is our dreams were crushed completely! Every generation is the samo samo story; we had enough and so we moved!

Human can fail but God would never fail! (Otherwise God is no God)
God always have solutions! (Otherwise God is no God)
Really? We really believe that?

We all like to call ourselves as Muslins, Christians, Catholics, etc; and we like to think we all believe in the Almighty.
Are we really?

http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailheadli....A03&irec=2

October 3, 2005

Intolerance, hatred fertile soil for terrorism



Kornelius Purba, The Jakarta Post

The Air Force jet fighters were maneuvering on Sunday morning at low altitude near the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in East Jakarta, in preparation for the Indonesian Military's (TNI) 60th anniversary.

Such a scene would usually have invoked a sense of pride in those below; the exercise becoming for them a symbol of the nation's strength and a demonstration of the state's readiness to protect its citizens.

Only this time it was annoying, at least for a group of desperate men who were discussing the increased fuel prices and also the fresh attacks on Bali.

"I am just afraid the jets will fall," said one of them, citing recent air crashes involving both commercial and military aircraft.

"The pilots should fly directly to Bali to hunt down the terrorists. They don't need to show off here," another said.

Their despair over the running of the nation, the fuel price increases in particular, meant that rather than giving them a sense of security, the jets' presence only made them feel more vulnerable.


On Saturday, just four days before Muslims enter the fasting month of Ramadhan, fuel prices were raised by an average of 126.6 percent. The people had already been feeling anxious over the recent bird flu fatalities in the country and polio's reemergence.

And then Bali was bombed again. Three years ago, 202 people, mostly foreign tourists, had been killed in a terrorist attack on the island. On Saturday, over 25 people were killed and dozens of others injured. People's suffering seems complete now. Innocent people were killed and Bali's economy was dealt another blow. The terrorists have succeeded in humiliating the nation.

After working hard to regain global trust following the Oct. 12 bombing in 2002, the Balinese have overnight been ruined. It would not come as a surprise if action was taken against non-Balinese residents, migrants from Java in particular. Emotional demands, like calls for self-rule, may increase in the coming weeks.

World leaders condemned Saturday's barbaric acts. As usual, many groups from a range of religious and social backgrounds will hold press conferences to formally denounce the attacks and emphasize that Indonesia has zero tolerance for terrorism.

We Indonesians always insist that terrorism, fundamentalism and extremism (of any kind) do not have a place in the hearts of the majority here, because we are a peaceful nation. We strongly believe that only a very small number of people are responsible for these evil acts. But no matter how small they are, terrorism in this country has become an alarming issue, even by world standards.

Let us look into the mirror: Are we really as peaceful and as tolerant as we have proclaimed ourselves to be to the world? Maybe -- though we long to deny it -- we are not that sincere and honest.

There are many among us who are becoming intolerant of those who are of a different faith, ideology or political party. The forced closures of places of worship, including the Ahmadiyah mosques, have been incidents many of us have chosen to ignore. Differences in religious interpretation or even cultural teachings are regarded as unpardonable sins. The government, in many cases, is also reluctant to enforce the law -- or is this incompetency -- because it does not want to create "unnecessary problems" just to protect minorities.

Is the choice of Bali as the target of bombings just because many foreigners -- or "infidels" -- visit the island? Or is it because the Balinese have a different religion and culture from the majority of the population. Do the terrorists feel less guilty killing people on Bali?

Do we really condemn all acts of terrorism? If so, our condemnation should be reflected in our daily conduct. Or are some acts less condemned than others?

Innocent victims have fallen in Bali, and in many other places in the country. And more victims will fall if we are not prepared to admit that we are a sick nation.


The state has an obligation to protect its citizens and anyone staying or living in its territory. But the people are the most important part of the state. We cannot just blame the government. No matter how strong the government is in its fight against terrorism, if its lacks public support, more people will fall victim to those who maybe rightly think they can commit a crime and walk away scot-free.

The writer can be reached at purba@thejakartapost.com

I agree with you my son, LaoShare

We have most materials to become a great nation or great people. But, we fail !!!!. It is because our moral is terrible. We don't like do self instropection. We always blame other people for our own mistakes. We never look at our faces in mirror, and asking this kind of question:

"Why do we always become such losers ? "





I found an interesting article about us and Bali Bomb part 2 in internet from The Jakarta Post Online











The last statement from the new above

Are we sick people?

I am afraid, the answer is YES !!

We are sick people who like to be brain-washed by our government for decades, that we are great people, polite society, generous generation, tolerance people, great nation and all kinds of mambo jambos

In reality, we are just losers who like blaming other people for our own mistakes, full of hatred and violence to everybody.

I don't believe we have tolerance culture to other people, just like our government always brainwash us for decads. Too many violences and hatred in our history for decades. I believe actually we have "slave" culture. It means we are "nice" to our superior and stronger parties. It is because we have feodalism culture in which we always obey to our superiors/leaders. Plus, we were colonialized by Dutch and Japan for 350 hundred years. Our moral become "slave" moral who are afraid of guns and power.

However, we always cruel and brutal to minority. We persecute minority Christian and Chinese without mercy. It is because they are weak, we are not afraid of them. We kick all poor people hard in their assess. Poor people cannot fight back.

On the contrary, we are afraid of strong parties, especially if they have guns. We are afraid of Australia, so when their troops landed on our soil, East Timor, without permission, we didn't do anything to them. We are afraid of small country Singapore. So, when their people torture, kill hundreds of our blue collar workers, we never attack Singapore. It is because we might lose in war against Singapore. We are afraid of any parties who are stronger than us.

We have "slave" culture.

Thinking our people's attitudes carefully, we actually don't have polite or kind culture that our government always brainwash us for decades. We actually have "slave" culture in which we dare to persecute weaker parties, BUT we are "nice" to stronger parties.

You chinese just loitering around other countries, native Indonesian will got more respect in America than chinese. American do not care about someone religion, But they do care which people who flooded their countries.

Don't you know you chinese being called g@@k by caucasian.

Calm down, pipol. Mas Nus, Mas Pur, I’m afraid this is going to another unnecessary war again. Ibu Wulandari Yth, keluhan anda didengar tapi berkeluh kesah terus menerus apa ngga cape’ juga? 

Is LaoShare and Wulandari the same person?... They sounded the same...

Calm down, pipol. Mas Nus, Mas Pur, I’m afraid this is going to another unnecessary war again. Ibu Wulandari Yth, keluhan anda didengar tapi berkeluh kesah terus menerus apa ngga cape’ juga? 

Yeah I agree too, you ancestors came to Indonesia as slave labour and coolie immigrants.

My dear Furansizuka,

I don't realize that I do complains about our country's condition. I think I do introspection of our conditions. To get solutions to solve our problems, we must find the roots of the problems. We must face our dirty laundries and take them bravely. It is impossible to get solutions if we don't dare to face our dark sides. If a person say " let's get the solutions without finding the roots of the problems", I believe that person try to hide something dirty and mislead other people to other directions, so the dirty secrets won't be disclosed and the real problems won't be never solved.

My dear Furansizuka,

I don't realize that I do complains about our country's condition. I think I do introspection of our conditions. To get solutions to solve our problems, we must find the roots of the problems. We must face our dirty laundries and take them bravely. It is impossible to get solutions if we don't dare to face our dark sides. If a person say " let's get the solutions without finding the roots of the problems", I believe that person try to hide something dirty and mislead other people to other directions, so the dirty secrets won't be disclosed and the real problems won't be never solved.

so your solution is to pretend to be a thai or filipino next time someone asks you where u come from. that is sure gonna help reduce terrorism..

You guys should just take it easy. Using your anger and emotion won't get anything done and we won't have any problems solved or done. Be open minded, accept critisism from others. Critisism is good, feeling unsatisfied is good, it's what drive us to fix ourselves. Pride will only destroy us. Blindly defending obscure pride is even worse for it will lead us to destruction and total mayhem.

A great nation is a nation who is not ashamed of herself, a great nation is a nation who can look at herself in the mirror and admit how she really looks like without make-up or any clothes on and how to heal herself from all the marks and scarfs on her face and body and identify what make-up and clothes are the most appropriate for her to look stunning but at the same time natural for the parties in years to come.

Bagus sekali!


If the Indonesians were the slaves to the Dutch,
wouldn't you agree that the Chinese are the slaves to the Indonesians now?

Is LaoShare and Wulandari the same person?... They sounded the same... And I don't think Wulandari is in US.

---

I'm abit shock to see a patriotic Nusantra... He seemed to defend Indonesia from other Indonesian... IMHO... I think he should be more patriotic when a Malaysian talking shìt about Indonesia.

I think he should be more patriotic when a Malaysian talking shìt about Indonesia. 

I see.

Just to share some of my thoughts with you:
Although I look like a “pure Chinese”, speak and write Chinese, (Mandarin and 2 other dialects) and also studied ancient Chinese philosophy and sometime I observed Chinese customs. I also love to associate with Chinese from China, Taiwan, HK, SE Asia, USA, Canada or anywhere else. I enjoy very much all these, however I often ask:
Are all these qualified me to be a Chinese?
Who is Chinese anyway? Where is the word Chinese comes from?
Can I really call myself a “pure Chinese”? Or is there such a thing as “pure Chinese”?
Who is going to guarantee me that I am not a bi-product of the descendants of Mongol invader and Han?

Yes, it is important to be a good Indonesian,
Yes, it is important to be a good Chinese,
Yes, it is important to be a good Canadian,
Above all, shouldn’t the most important thing is to be  a Good Person?

Does anybody really care what Mother Teresa’s nationality is?

I still think LaoShare and Wulandari is the same person... both tried too hard to flatter themself by lamenting about bad things in Indonesia and both have very delusional airy view of their ethnicity.

Tjikalau we are all foods;
May I say:
furansizuka you are .........es kopi susu.

maksud anda?

Refreshing and mau lagi...........so we are able to taste more spicy........

So, I don't need to defend Indonesia no more.

Madam wulandari, why don't you try that idea? i mean..pretending to be thai or phillipino...that's good idea!!
why should we become shy with our nationality?  i think how to stop and clean the ugliness inside of us is only YOURSELF know..well..just start it from yourself...from small things..i believe we can!!

SEMANGAT!!!

if they see you from head to toe as if you were an alien..cuek aja lagee!!! if i were you i will say "SIAPA LO??" to them for looking at me like that...

Soro said:

The thing about Wulandari probably not in US is bcoz the thing she said...

In US, if you tell ppl you're from Indonesia, you better bring a map. Bcoz most ppl don't know what is Indonesia or where is it... Indonesians generally look like Hawaiians, Mexicans, Cambodians, Filipinos, Blacks, etc... Unless you look like Arabs with crooked nose and the whole enchiladas, nobody would ever associate you with terrorist... Also, if you mention about the riot, the response you would get is "what riot?... where?"

About Alien: Anybody who resides in US and not an American or American National, is an alien.

Madam wulandari, why don't you try that idea? i mean..pretending to be thai or phillipino...that's good idea!!
why should we become shy with our nationality? if they see you from head to toe as if you were an alien..cuek aja lagee!!! if i were you i will say "SIAPA LO??" to them for looking at me like that...

i think how to stop and clean the ugliness inside of us is only YOURSELF know..well..just start it from yourself...from small things..i believe we can!!

SEMANGAT!!!