Why Bali will continue to be a target
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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, itÂ’s known for its tourist trade as much as it is for its natural wonders. One can only hope that it doesnÂ’t 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 IndonesiaÂ’s crown.
Indonesia is frequently referred to as the worldÂ’s 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. Naipaul’s 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 Qaeda’s next natural home.’
So why has Bali been hit by a series of attacks?
Reason 1
Indonesia’s 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. It’s 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 Bali’s 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 Bali’s 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 hasnÂ’t 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 IndonesiaÂ’s necklace is under constant threat from the new Islamist fascists. -
Hmm, India on Osama's hit list? That's something new to me.
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Anybody remembered watching the film "Swordfish"? There was this character called "Gabriel" in which John Travolta acted. He has his own ideas that are very strong about how to handle international terrorism.
If terrorist attacks continue to occur on & on & on & on, neverending in Indonesia, Iraq & other countries which the terrorists have been targeting, maybe it is time we need the assistance from these type of talented people, but without the robbing of banks. -
Among many Islamists terrorists, there is this belief that India will be in Muslim hands during the end times, so India is always on their minds.Originally posted by iveco:Hmm, India on Osama's hit list? That's something new to me. -
The terrorist are showing to the world how useless the government is. This is a huge embarassment to the indonesian government.... THIRD TIME I wonder if anybody now will dare to risk going to bali on holiday when anytime you could get your head blown off.
I have my theory, I think that all these attacks are not targetted towards foreigners, yes it's true that many australians and foreigners are victims of these attacks but I believe that subtely these attacks are engineered towards the indonesians muslims instead.
First of all if you attack foreigners, foreign agencies will hunt you down and you are on the run for the rest of your lives. but if these terrorists attack their own muslim people in the name of god but using the west as a pretext target and in the process muslims get killed or suffer, who do you think muslims everywhere will direct their anger towards: god? the invisible perpetrators? or their government for being inefficient in preventing these attacks?
Thats why I have said time and again, democracy is not for every country, if a nation has a history of traditional tribal faction and ethnic violence democracy will never work out. Surarto knew his people were like this thats why he ruled with an iron fist, during his reign where were these terrorists ... they were like mice with a hardly more than a whimper but now that he is gone they are like lions with a roar and teeth that bite and they are unstoppable. -
A lot of those terrorists like Hambali set up schools in Malaysia to escape prosecution back home.Originally posted by KumSioJui:Thats why I have said time and again, democracy is not for every country, if a nation has a history of traditional tribal faction and ethnic violence democracy will never work out. Surarto knew his people were like this thats why he ruled with an iron fist, during his reign where were these terrorists ... they were like mice with a hardly more than a whimper but now that he is gone they are like lions with a roar and teeth that bite and they are unstoppable. -
Bali sometimes have more lag security compared to Jakarta as well now
And, easy target, as I have read newspaper report, they are trying to reduce injuring their 'own' ppl -
what these terrorists want is for the people to get frustrated and to rise up agaist their government, if the people are not incited then all they have done is meaningless.Originally posted by sbst275:Bali sometimes have more lag security compared to Jakarta as well now
And, easy target, as I have read newspaper report, they are trying to reduce injuring their 'own' ppl
they whack bali is to try to undermine confidence in the government, when foreigners lose faith in the indonesian government ability to protect them and their investments they pull out and normal indonesians become jobless, if many are jobless then who has money to pay for the high prices of basic necessities such as food and fuel?
so in the end the question again is if majority of these indonesian suffer who do you think the anger will be directed against:
god? the bogey man? or their government? -
Well, this prob wun be solved in our genOriginally posted by KumSioJui:what these terrorists want is for the people to get frustrated and to rise up agaist their government, if the people are not incited then all they have done is meaningless.
they whack bali is to try to undermine confidence in the government, when foreigners lose faith in the indonesian government ability to protect them and their investments they pull out and normal indonesians become jobless, if many are jobless then who has money to pay for the high prices of basic necessities such as food and fuel?
so in the end the question again is if majority of these indonesian suffer who do you think the anger will be directed against:
god? the bogey man? or their government? -
yup, Balinese are predominantly non muslim.Originally posted by sbst275:Bali sometimes have more lag security compared to Jakarta as well now
And, easy target, as I have read newspaper report, they are trying to reduce injuring their 'own' ppl -
I seems like this bombing thing is going to be like an annual thing. So sad.
Bali is a wonderful place. -
they are easiet to hit.
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soft target.... easy.. low risk...Originally posted by dragg:they are easiet to hit.
Why don't they try to hit the Pentagon and Mindef or something! -
ABU Bakir Bashir urged jihadists to embrace nuclear weapons "if necessary". So, we know there will be more terrorist attacks to come and it'll be more deadly. I don't think this was reported in ST.
In the interview, Bashir urges parents to understand the reward their children will secure if they join the jihad against Westerners.
"If the martyr's family understands Islam deeply, they will obtain many rewards," he says.
However, he argues there is little Westerners can do to avoid further conflict. "They have to stop fighting Islam, but that's impossible because it is sunnatullah (destiny, a law of nature), as Allah has said in the Koran," he says.
"They will constantly be enemies. But they'll lose. I say this not because I am able to predict the future but they will lose and Islam will win. Islam must win and Westerners will be destroyed. If they refuse to be under Islam, it will be chaos. Full stop. If they want to have peace, they have to accept to be governed by Islam."
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16807014%255E31477,00.html -
That is crazy. By forcing the world to embrace Islam, those jihadists are interfering with free will.
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Anyhow talk only!Originally posted by KumSioJui:Thats why I have said time and again, democracy is not for every country, if a nation has a history of traditional tribal faction and ethnic violence democracy will never work out. Surarto knew his people were like this thats why he ruled with an iron fist, during his reign where were these terrorists ... they were like mice with a hardly more than a whimper but now that he is gone they are like lions with a roar and teeth that bite and they are unstoppable.
So u wanna be ruled by Suharto?
Life is so good under Megawati & SBY!
Only retarded like you will dream of a life under Suharto! -
how's life better now? The poor are still suffering and bribery is still common. Yes, they have freedom of speech but we have a breeding ground for terrorists at our doorstep. I sound very selfish but is this better for us and the region?Originally posted by vindicated:Anyhow talk only!
So u wanna be ruled by Suharto?
Life is so good under Megawati & SBY!
Only retarded like you will dream of a life under Suharto! -
Another article from the Australian. Any opinion? Or is this too sensitive to publish?
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16801982%5E7583,00.html -
good ah? ever since suharto stepped down they changed government 4 times, and every government suceeded the other because the former had some corruption or scandal going on and every time they changed government the new government got some hair brain idea.Originally posted by vindicated:Anyhow talk only!
So u wanna be ruled by Suharto?
Life is so good under Megawati & SBY!
Only retarded like you will dream of a life under Suharto!
at least under surharto regime everything was stable, people got jobs, can send their kids to school and nobody dared to create any funny business. And FYI smarty boy try to control a population of 200 million rebellous people is not easy and surharto did it for 30+ years. Those 4 governments combined didn't even last 10 years ok. -
Yes, Suharto era did have its plus points. However, he was also responsible for bloodshed in East Timor when his troops occupied the former Portuguese colony for 25 years.Originally posted by KumSioJui:good ah? ever since suharto stepped down they changed government 4 times, and every government suceeded the other because the former had some corruption or scandal going on and every time they changed government the new government got some hair brain idea.
at least under surharto regime everything was stable, people got jobs, can send their kids to school and nobody dared to create any funny business. And FYI smarty boy try to control a population of 200 million rebellous people is not easy and surharto did it for 30+ years. Those 4 governments combined didn't even last 10 years ok. -
Originally posted by 84mmrr:Another article from the Australian. Any opinion? Or is this too sensitive to publish?
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16801982%5E7583,00.html
I say death to Osama Laden! Death to Abu Bakar Bashir! Death to Mullah Omar and death to Zaqawi! -
Death to George Bush as well.Originally posted by Salman:
I say death to Osama Laden! Death to Abu Bakar Bashir! Death to Mullah Omar and death to Zaqawi! -
shoot anyone who dares to even entertain thoughts of radicalism. confirm will solve the problem.
or we could always bring back sadaam. -
actually if you did your homework you will find that the 1975 invasion was sanction by the americans following their defeat to the communists in vietnam in may 1974, the americans wanted to stabalise the indonesian region which were a source of valuable raw materials, the australians too supported the invasion because of some unresolved but lucrative oil deposits worth abt $19 billion in 1975 dollars.Originally posted by iveco:Yes, Suharto era did have its plus points. However, he was also responsible for bloodshed in East Timor when his troops occupied the former Portuguese colony for 25 years.
The indonesians military having battled the communists previously didn't want to chance another revival as sections of Portugese East Timor then was controlled by the communists controlled Fretilin.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/oct1999/tim-o01.shtml -
As a result, many innocent lives were destroyed. Didn't know Xanana Gusmao was a commie, though.Originally posted by KumSioJui:actually if you did your homework you will find that the 1975 invasion was sanction by the americans following their defeat to the communists in vietnam in may 1974, the americans wanted to stabalise the indonesian region which were a source of valuable raw materials, the australians too supported the invasion because of some unresolved but lucrative oil deposits worth abt $19 billion in 1975 dollars.
The indonesians military having battled the communists previously didn't want to chance another revival as sections of Portugese East Timor then was controlled by the communists controlled Fretilin.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/oct1999/tim-o01.shtml