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Bali deportation of 'digital nomad' unearths post-colonial power dynamics
The incident surrounding the deportation of an American woman from Bali has raised uncomfortable and sensitive issues that stem from Indonesia's colonial past, juxtaposed against the contemporary issues of equality and minority.
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Balinese Hindus take part in a communal prayer on Jan. 31, 2020 at Luhur Temple in the Narmada Tanah Kilap temple compound in Denpasar, Bali. (Antara/Fikri Yusuf)
D
igital nomads seeking the freedom to work on the paradise isle of Indonesia are reminded to double-check their visa privileges after an American woman was alleged of peddling “tips” to get around Indonesia’s immigration system, detained and then deported on Tuesday.
Kristen Gray came under fire on Sunday, when Indonesians took to Twitter to grill her after her posts went viral and sparked a fierce online debate on the intersection of identity, rule of law, colonialism and minority grievances.
The Twitter users accused the 28-year-old of making money from her posts, which suggested foreigners could move to Indonesia on the cheap amid the global health crisis and strict travel restrictions.
Gray’s thread, posted on her now-locked account @kristentootie, prompted ire among Indonesian netizens who castigated her for overstaying her visa and evading Indonesian tax rules while generating illicit income during her stay, as well as for promoting international travel to Indonesia during the coronavirus pandemic and attendant policies, including border closures.
Indonesia has been seeing record daily increases in the COVID-19 tally in recent weeks, with 12,568 new cases and 267 deaths on Wednesday.
Gray’s posts included “boasting” about living in a tree house in Bali for US$400 a month, claiming it was far below the average rent for a studio apartment in Los Angeles. This prompted accusations of contributing to the socioeconomic gap between foreigners and Balinese, who earn a monthly minimum wage of around Rp 2.5 million ($177).
Read also: Govt hopes to reopen Bali to international tourism, but plan hinges on COVID-19 containment
