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Your letters: Aceh tourism and bikinis
A woman was molested recently in Iboh, Sabang, Aceh, when she wanted to enter the sea wearing a bikini, and stones were thrown at tourists walking along Sumurtiga Beach
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woman was molested recently in Iboh, Sabang, Aceh, when she wanted to enter the sea wearing a bikini, and stones were thrown at tourists walking along Sumurtiga Beach. Loudspeakers and microphones are used to intimidate guests 5 a.m. at the popular Sumurtiga Hotel.
There were two other incidents of foreign female tourists being attacked in the streets of Ie Meulee and stones thrown at tourists on motorbikes in Iboh, seemingly because the tourists in question were not 'appropriately' dressed.
Tourism in Sabang has increased so rapidly during the past two years that the authorities are unable to cope with the influx. It is also clear from the above examples that the authorities no longer have control over the community, and extremists are exploiting this situation to intimidate tourists.
Tourists believe that their safety can no longer be guaranteed by the Sabang authorities, and they no longer view Sabang as an option for a holiday destination.
As a result, hundreds of bookings from tourists have been canceled, resulting in estimated losses of more than Rp 100 million for the Sabang community.
This figure will rise daily as the news of the 'out of control' situation on Sabang spreads on the Internet.
Suzanne
Jakarta
