In Reply to: Elections!!! posted by Karen on Wednesday, 7. April 1999 at 20:57 Bali Time:
I was there in May 1998 and at that time the whole of Jakarta was on Fire, there were tanks in the streets, martial law was virtually imposed, hundreds of people were being killed and a president with a reign in excess of 30 years was being deposed in a bloody coup.
Bali may as well have been the Swiss Alps for all that was worth. You would not have known virtually any of it going on.
I was there in February this year when there was in excess of 100 people killed in bad rioting in Ambon (Indonesia), found out about it when I got home.
I was there in September and October Last year when there was huge support for opposition leader Megawati and there was thousands of Balinese and Indonesian,s sporting red flags, red headbands etc etc going on huge motorcycle demonstrations. It was as threatening and scary as Alice in wonderland, in fact it was a pleasure to see democracy carried out in such a relaxed and sense of fun way in a counrty that has essentially been devoid of democracy for 30 years or even longer.
No doubt there will be tension in Java (jakarta) especially and outer island and other regions, and most likely to get pretty nasty when the resluts come in and even more so if there is a return of the current regime.
However as Bali goes I think you have absolutly nothing to worry about as it may as well not be a part of the indonesian political process for all the political violence that has transpired there in the past 18 months since the crisis hit.
Forget all of the tourists who have been once or twice.....look at the facts......What political Voilence has there been in past in Bali that has ever even come close to placing a tourist at risk.? The answer None!!!! You can only forecast and predict by looking at the history and there is nothing at all in the political situation in BALI ( not the rest of Indonesia) to come to a rational prediction other than it is safe. Bali is Safe as houses on this score. If there is any risk whatsoever, Australia's story hungry media will be the first to bring it to out attention as soon as anything happens even resmbling a murmur in Bali.
You might be at risk of being run over over by a motorbike crossing Jalan legian !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go enjoy, because there will be literally thousands of other tourists there at the same time and I cannot see a major problem as Bali is such a tourist destination from all over the world and also a real cash cow for Jakarta.
Regards
PAUL