Why Bali will continue to be a target
by Rohin, on 1st October, 2005
Today the small Indonesian island of Bali was rocked by bomb
attacks on two popular tourist areas, killing at least 22. BBC
Coverage.
Bali is one of the most beautiful places I have visited. Nowadays,
post-Jason Donovan and Ricky Martin, its known for its tourist
trade as much as it is for its natural wonders. One can only hope
that it doesnt develop a new, darker claim to fame. However I fear
that Bali may become one of the most popular targets for Islamist
terrorists.
For those who believe in the supremacy of their warped Islamic
beliefs, Bali represents a triple-whammy. Three reasons to target
the jewel in Indonesias crown.
Indonesia is frequently referred to as the worlds most populous
Islamic nation, people forget that it is just a truly immense
country. Over 13,000 islands make up the vast archipelago,
stretching more than 5000km across. The country has a tumultuous
recent past and I honestly think that no country has seen quite so
much change in the last 50 years. It lives in the shadow of its
more successful neighbours, the Asian Tigers of Malaysia, Thailand
and Singapore, which sometimes overshadows the strides forward that
Indonesia has taken, like free elections being introduced seven
years ago.
However, Indonesia is afflicted by several serious diseases. A
nasty Asian strain of corruption, armed separatists in Aceh and
Irian Jaya and a chronic case of terrorism.
V.S. Naipauls excellent book, Beyond Belief, examines how
Indonesia has been affected by the recent and widespread embrace of
Islam. With this, unfortunately came a firebrand fundamentalist
streak, such that Indonesia has been described as Al Qaedas next
natural home.
So why has Bali been hit by a series of attacks?
Reason 1
Indonesias census states almost 90% of Indonesia is Muslim.
However in a few areas, namely Bali, Papua, East Nusa Tenggara and
some areas hit by the tsunami in northern Sumatra, Muslims form a
minority. You may not have heard of any on that list with the
exception of Bali. Militant Muslims bent upon increasing that 90%
up to 100 do not like any of those areas, but Bali stands out.
Papua and Aceh have violent armed militia patrolling their
territories and Eastern Nusa Tenggara is a massively
under-developed backwater. Bali, in contrast, produces vast sums of
money and is a peaceful place, with no armed guerrillas to offer
resistance to terrorists. Its an easy target.
Bali 2002
Reason 2
India and Indonesia have intertwined histories. Before Islam came
to Indonesia via India, the country was Hindu and Buddhist, two
Indian religions. The Arab-centric ideologies supported by Islamist
terrorists despises India and it despises Hinduism. Osama bin Laden
himself has identified India as an enemy of the caliphate and Al
Qaeda. With the Arabisation of Indonesia, Indian influences have
been purged from the vast majority of the country. The largest
Buddhist monument in the world and a contender for 8th wonder of
the world, Borobodur, is left woefully under-maintained and
under-advertised, as it is a Buddhist stupa in the heart of an
Islamic Java.
Despite all attempts to erase India from Indonesia, Bali remained
unchanged. Over 90% of the 1.81% of Indonesians who are Hindu
reside in Bali. The very culture that attracts tourists in droves
is the culture that the rest of the country has rejected such as
traditional Balinese dancing, which is rooted in Hindu mythology.
Bali is a slice of ancient Indonesia. Bali is a Hindu infidel of an
island. Worse still, Balinese Hindus are leading what is called the
Hindu Revival. Read more about Hinduism in Bali and
Indonesia.
Reason 3
The last reason Indonesian terrorists hate Bali is that it is a
resounding success story. Jealousy is central to much of the
moaning done by radical clerics and they hate the fact that Bali is
thriving whilst much of Indonesia has criminal levels of poverty.
And perhaps the main reason Bali is targeted at all is the cause of
Balis wealth Western tourists.
I say Western, but what I really mean is Australian. Australians
have been enjoying the food, drink, sun and sand of Bali for
decades. Now if you live on Bondi beach and still travel 1000s of
miles for a holiday, it must be something special. Brits are also
quite keen on Balis resorts. Australia and Britain more enemies
of fundamentalist Islam. Two coalition members, two aggressors
against Islam, two friends of Zionist America and one more reason
why a bomb in Bali makes headlines around the world, not just in
the Indonesian press.
My heart is filled with sorrow when I think about the inevitable
evil that will be unleashed on little Bali. Tourism is how it earns
its keep and 3 years on from the 2002 attacks, the trade had just
returned to normal, until today. It hasnt invaded Iraq or given
aid to Israel, yet as long as Bali is a peaceful island, populated
by Hindus and enjoyed by white tourists, the diamond on Indonesias
necklace is under constant threat from the new Islamist
fascists.
