TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Bali bombings: 17 years on, terror still haunts

Tumini’s feet suddenly gave up on her as she fell down during a vigil at the Bali bombing memorial in Kuta on Saturday evening

Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post)
Denpasar
Mon, October 14, 2019 Published on Oct. 14, 2019 Published on 2019-10-14T01:07:51+07:00

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Tumini’s feet suddenly gave up on her as she fell down during a vigil at the Bali bombing memorial in Kuta on Saturday evening.

The names of 202 victims are engraved in the wall of granite and limestone.

She had just been praying for the victims of the 2002 terrorist attack when she suddenly started crying and briefly lost consciousness. Others attending the vigil helped her walk back to her seat.

“Suddenly all the memories of that fateful night came back. I couldn’t control myself,” the mother of three told The Jakarta Post.

Tumini was not the only one. Two other survivors of the bombing also lost consciousness during the vigil and were rushed to the hospital.

Tumini is a survivor of the tragic night of Oct. 12, 2002. She was working as a bartender at Paddy’s Pub when bombs ripped through the area, burning some parts of her body in an instant. She was mistaken as dead and taken to a hospital, where her sister later found her lying among dozens of bodies.

On Oct. 12, 17 years ago, three deadly bomb blasts took place at Paddy’s Pub and the Sari Club in Kuta that claimed the lives of 202 people — comprising 164 foreigners from 24 countries and 38 Indonesians — and injured 209 others. Another bomb exploded on Jl. Hayam Wuruk, Denpasar, near the United States Consulate General, but did not result in fatalities.

“I feel like […] I’m afraid that it will happen again,” she said.

 

"Oct. 12 is a moment for us to remind us all of the importance of peace. We should not let radicalism live long in Bali."

 

Tumini said the recent news about many terrorism-related arrests across Indonesia might have affected her. Moreover, two of the alleged terrorists were arrested in Bali. “I have never felt like this before. I usually can control myself at every Bali bombings remembrance, even if it is not easy,” she said.

A day earlier, AT, 45, and his 14-year-old son ZAI, were arrested in Jembrana in western Bali as they were leaving Bali for their hometown in Malang, East Java. They have allegedly pledged allegiance to Abu Bakar Al Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State group.

The arrest of AT and ZAI, who live in Bali, was the result of an investigation following the recent attack on Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto in Banten.

Police suspect the father and son of having plotted an attack in Bali. They seized an arrow, airsoft gun and bayonet in the arrest operation.

Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. Petrus Reinhard Golose said the father and son allegedly were connected to a terrorist network in Banten and were members of a WhatsApp group called "Menanti Al Mahdi", a group of extremists, including Abu Rara, Wiranto's alleged stabber.

"We call it a preemptive strike. We took preemptive action to prevent this group from committing any act (of terror)," Golose said.

Golose explained that the arrest was conducted in an operation by the Densus 88 counterterrorism squad and the Bali Police's Counter Transnational and Organized Crime (CTOC) task force. "Our task is to make sure all people in Bali, including tourists, can sleep well," he emphasized.

The news of the arrest of the father and son have affected Tumini. "I feel grateful that they were arrested before they commit their act, but knowing that they use children breaks my heart as a mother. How could they do that," she said.

Thiolina Marpaung, another survivor, also felt grateful over the arrest but deplored the fact that they live in Bali. "It's a lesson for us, that we should be more alert. We should be aware of everybody around us," she said.

"Oct. 12 is a moment for us to remind us all of the importance of peace. We should not let radicalism live long in Bali," she added.

Barbara Konstantakis, an Australian who lost her cousin David Mavroudis in the bomb attack, said the tragedy had left a deep wound in her family.

"Even after 17 years, I don't think it gets any easier to deal with,” she said after some private reflection and remembrance at the Memorial Garden at the Australian Consulate General office in Denpasar, Bali, on Saturday morning. The consulate opened its doors for those wishing to mark the Bali bombing anniversary on Saturday.

Australia Consul General in Bali Anthea Griffin said that, after 17 years, the tragedy still very much affected many people, especially those who had lost loved ones.

"I hope that we can avoid this from happening again," she added.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.