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| A Balinese woman makes a religious offering on Monday in Jimbaran in memory of the 20 people killed in the 2005 suicide bomb attacks in the tourist hubs of Jimbaran and Kuta. (JG Photo/Made Arya Kencana) |
Denpasar. Hundreds of people congregated in Jimbaran, Bali, on Monday for a ceremony marking the seventh anniversary of the 2005 suicide bombings that claimed the lives of 20 innocent people and injured 129 others.
The event was held at the Nyoman Cafe in Jimbaran, one of the two restaurants there and a third in Kuta that were targeted by three suicide bombers on Oct. 1, 2005.
The memorial ceremony was organized by Nahdlatul Ulama, the country’s largest Islamic organization; Isana Dewata, an association of people who lost friends and family in the attacks; and Lazuardi Biru, an anti-terrorism organization.
Among the around 200 people present, 48 were students and teachers of religion from 12 high schools in Denpasar and Badung district.
“We chose to invite them so that they could learn about the dangers of terrorism and how to prevent [it],” said Ni Luh Erniati, an Isana Dewata member.
“This is important because recently terrorism recruitment patterns [have been] targeting the young.”
Copies of “I Found the Meaning of Jihad,” written by former hard-line militant Nasir Abas, were distributed to the students at the ceremony.
Nasir, formerly a member of Jemaah Islamiyah, the terrorist organization blamed for both the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings, is now assisting police in their counterterrorism campaign.
Nasir and NU adviser Masdar Farid Masuri also hosted a talk show on the dangers of terrorism, while the short film “Say No to Terrorism” was screened as part of the memorial event.
Cantika Wulan Sari Putri, 8, who lost her father in the bombing at the Nyoman Cafe, gave a poetry recitation at the event.
In his talk, Nasir stressed that terrorists were targeting teenagers for recruitment because of their abundant enthusiasm and lack of significant responsibilities.
“Do not accept it when someone is trying to drive the notion that someone else is not good, that a religion or a belief is not good. They’re trying to narrow your way of thinking,” he warned.
He also praised the families of the victims for not succumbing to fear.
“The true victims of terrorism are the [ones] who manage to survive. I appreciate and respect them,” Nasir said.
Masdar noted that remembrance ceremonies were necessary to always remind people of the horrors of terrorism.
He added that the participation of teenagers in recent acts of terrorism involved complex factors, including an unsupportive environment and a lack of public figures speaking out against terrorism.
“The motive for doing these bad deeds can come from anywhere. That’s why we should all support one another,” he said.
Masdar also expressed disappointment with the results of the government’s deradicalization program for terrorists.
“We don’t know whether the government is serious or not, or if there have been instructions from outside [the country] about the program,” he said.
“For every terrorist who is successfully deradicalized, two people fall prey to radicalization. So the progress on deradicalization is still far from satisfactory.”
He said that the NU was constantly trying to help deradicalize believers through its own programs and campaigns.
“We can’t engage in physical actions. We can only raise awareness, change mind-sets and give sermons to promote peace,” Masdar said. JG
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