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| Southeast Asia |
| Senior minister tells Bali to rebuild, chastises US policy |
| 2002-12-14 |
| Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti on Friday advised the Balinese to stick to three things to help revive their tourism industry — the lifeline of the island's economy. "These three things include the maintenance of Bali's culture, in which they are expected to live their lives naturally — without undue fear or anxiety," the minister said during the seminar titled "National Economic Recovery in the Wake of the Bali Bombing Tragedy" in Sanur here. That way, it'll be a surprise when they get boomed... Dorodjatun said the Balinese should not allow themselves to live in fear, because then the terrorists would feel successful in their mission, encouraging the Balinese to keep their true character. They might want to keep a sharp eye out for Islamists, though... The former ambassador to the United States said that their inherent hospitality would help make foreign tourists feel at home. "As such, the foreign tourists will be happy to spend their holidays or to stay in Bali," he said as quoted by Antara. "Yes, Frank. He's right. We should go to Bali for vacation. The exploding discos are so festive!" He urged the Balinese to learn a lesson from the U.S. government's treatment of tourists visiting the country after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington DC last year. US security authorities have imposed tougher restrictions on foreigners trying to enter their country, forcing a sizable portion of them to cancel travel to the U.S. "The tourists object to the strict surveillance, because it makes them feel uncomfortable," said Dorodjatun, who is also former dean of the school of economics of the Jakarta-based University of Indonesia. Ummm... Dorodjatun? It wasn't the tourists who brought the bombs to Bali. It was Islamists. Our restrictions are directed at Islamists — maybe Bali should be thinking along those lines, too. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |