On Wednesday, survivors, as well as the families and friends of the victims, will meet in Bali, Indonesia, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the bombing there, one of the worst militant attacks in history.
202 people were murdered when a car bomb exploded outside the Sari Club in Bali’s Kuta Beach area and from another almost simultaneous blast at the Paddy’s Bar across the street, including 88 Australians and 38 Indonesians.
On the largely Hindu island, a number of events will be held, including a ceremony with peace prayers and the symbolic release of 20 birds at a memorial created in the blast zone.
Twenty years after the bombings, which were attributed to the al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist network Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), survivors are still plagued by recollections of the incident.
There will also be memorials held by the Indonesian police and the Australian consulate general in Bali.
Following the Bali attacks, Indonesia established Special Detachment or Densus 88, an elite counterterrorism unit, with support from Australia and the US. This action weakened JI and led to the arrest or killing of numerous alleged Islamic militants.
The country with the largest Muslim population in the world also invented deradicalization programmes for convicted militants, while their efficacy has drawn praise and criticism.
The Indonesian government said in August that Bali bomb builder Umar Patek was eligible for parole and would soon be released, shocking many people who were impacted by the attacks.
Post Your Comments