Bali 121002 - Bali is Wounded

indo.com: +62-361-728790

Calamity leads to mourning in the island of thousand Gods

On Saturday, October 12, 2002, at around 11.00 p.m. a series of bombs exploded shocking Bali and ending the peace the island has maintained for years.

The almost simultaneous explosions were heard across the entire southern part of the island. The first was on Jalan Hayam Wuruk in Denpasar, and was thought to be targeted at the U.S. Consulate - it exploded approximately 100 meters south of the U.S. Consulate office. The second and third bombs in Kuta killed nearly 200 people and injured many more.

A security guard of the Sari Club, who is still being treated in Sanglah Hospital, said that the bombs were delivered via a car loaded with explosives parked outside the two popular night spots of the Sari Club and Paddy's Restaurant, both on Legian's busy thoroughfare. The amount of explosive employed was massive, as evidenced by the two-meter deep crater and the almost total destruction of the tightly-packed surrounding businesses. The subsequent fire raged for hours after the initial explosion.

Death toll from the Sanglah Hospital
By Sunday evening the death toll had exceeded 181 people, with scores more feared to be laying under the charred remains of the building. Meanwhile, hundreds of injured were undergoing treatment at local area hospitals and clinics. A special mercy flight from Australia arrived on Sunday evening carrying an emergency medical team and medical supplies to assist in the care of casualties.

Shocked and saddened at the death and injury of both local Indonesians and foreign visitors, members of Bali's community responded in a variety of ways to the emerging crisis.

Community Representatives of the Indonesian Guide Association (HPI) and the local community of Balinese descended on local hospitals to comfort the injured and act as multi-lingual interpreters facilitating communication between patients and medical teams.

Lines of Indonesian and foreign blood donors quickly formed at the Sanglah Hospital blood bank in response to an overnight telephone and fax appeal.

Medical services for the injured were donated without charge by local hospitals.

Local volunteers from the IDEP Foundation set up a missing persons bureau at the Sanglah Hospital to help re-unite and identify the missing.

Ice and cold storage containers were donated by local businesses to help Sanglah hospital.

Local hoteliers sent food, drink, bedding, towels and volunteer cleaning teams to the Sanglah hospital.

Floral tributes from members of the Bali community began to arrive at local consulates and ground zero.

Balinese commitment
The Balinese commitment toward the concept of Tri Hita Kirana that mandates harmonious relations between man and man, man and nature, and man and God lead to a program of prayers being offered by representatives of all the religious faiths represented in Bali. The Regent of Badung and the Bali Governor have agreed to build a monument at the place where the bombs exploded.

Express sincere condolence
A day after the bombs exploded, President Megawati along with her Cabinet came to Bali to inspect the scene and visit hundreds of people in Sanglah Hospital. The Minister of Culture and Tourism, I Gede Ardika, in a press conference on Sunday afternoon absolutely condemned the attack. Tuesday October 15, 2002, he was amongst Balinese people from different religions gathered at Renon square expressing their sincere condolences by placing flowers and wreathes.

Security
The police and military authorities have placed the island under the highest level of security, placing island's ports and airport under tight surveillance.

developed, designed, and maintained by indo.com © 2002 All Rights Reserved