He's carrying a backpack, you see, and it could have a bomb in it. The guy with the friendly smile and machine gun is searching through it now; he finds nothing. They find no bombs in the taxi that's just been stopped at the "checkpoint" either. Strange. Funny.
Well... almost funny.
Actually, as I stop to think, it just isn't funny at all.
Then I think of my mate, Scotty Lysaght. I played rugby with him in Melbourne. I think of the smile that must have been on his face as he ran into the Sari Club that night... they never found him. Not a trace.
He's "Number 49" on the memorial just opposite the site of the Sari Club. Number 49 of 88 Australians, of 202 people worldwide. The memorial is something for Scott's daughter to visit one day. She was only a few months old when it happened. She's six now. She has never known her dad. I can tell her that he wore red footy boots before it was fashionable, that he was the slowest halfback you've ever seen, but man he could throw a party!
And there it is; the Bali dichotomy. We have fun here, we laugh at things, as you'd expect in an island paradise, but there is always that reminder. The police, the machine guns, and the Seven News crew, here to cover the execution, don't let you forget.
The Sari Club is overgrown by weeds now. So many Aussie we have spoken with here knew someone, or, at the very least, know OF someone, who was killed or injured, October 12, 2002.
The night Amrozi, Mukhlas and Samudra were executed, we were straight out to the clubs and pubs. So many Australians, dancing, singing, drinking, mucking up; just as they did THAT night, six years ago. Aussies tanked to the eyeballs and having fun, and we had to interview them. It promised to be interesting!
My cameraman, Rod Herbert, and I, underestimated the sophisticated responses we received. How did they feel, now that those three mass murderers were dead themselves?
Not the sort of triumphant anger you might expect. No, these Aussies were more relieved than anything.
Yes, there was some Black Russian bravado and passion. That's what we expected. But, more too.
"Wow, that's pretty heavy," was about all Todd the Queenslander could say.
"I don't believe in an eye for an eye", said his friend Jessica. "But they should have been executed. They deserved it."
Other responses were reserved, reasoned. It doesn't matter which way you look at it, I guess death is never a cheery subject.
For days, on camera, we have heard the same mantra, over and over:
"We're not going to let terrorists ruin our fun."
"They're not going to stop us from living our lives. The minute we let them do that, they've won."
Admirable, and I agree with it. Good for them!
Off camera though..:
"Do you think we're safe?"
"Do you think something will happen?"
Sad. Sad that we should have to think that way. Sad that my parents and friends should worry that I'll be okay.
A young lady from Perth didn't want to speak to us on camera the other day; she didn't want her mother and fiance to see her and get worried. They'd begged her not come here.
Sad for us, sad for the Balinese too. We are their lifeblood and we are friendly. They love us here, genuinely. Yesterday, a local rattled off a list of nationalities she didn't like; even people from Jakarta! But not Australians.
"Australians nice. You come back, yes?"
I hope so, but for a holiday, not for work. If I come here for work, I can't imagine the news would be good.
You know what? All of this sounds so glum, but it's not really.
The truth is, we've been working pretty hard over here, but Rod and I are having fun, along with every Australian we've spoken with.
We laugh and joke around, trying to navigate our way through the last dregs of Kuta nightlife as we wait to speak with Kochie, Mel and Nat on Sunrise; calling our friends and colleagues from Aljazeera "terrorists" (for the record, they are not!); having the odd swim when we can fit it in; having a drink with the locals and Aussies.
If only we could enjoy a bit of the nightlife. And we're not afraid of the terrorists at all.
I'm much more scared of my boss if I sleep through my 230am wake-up and miss my spot on Sunrise...
Comments
Yes, it'll take a LONG time for the dust to settle on this. I've always been a staunch opponent of the death-penalty, but in this case, I really could not see any satisfactory alternative.
Nov 15 07:42 amJust put a post up & it didn't take. Always been against the death penalty, but in this case I cannot see any viable alternative. Good riddance, bombers, & my sympathy to those who lost friends & loved ones.
Nov 15 08:00 amAnd we are not afraid of the terrorists at all until they plant another killer BOMB. STAY AWAY or get what you ask for.
Nov 16 09:09 amHmmm...I'm being pulled in different directions on this one. The Bali Bombers without a doubt deserved to die. However the replications of imposing the death penalty are now having an affect us all. It's a posed a threat to Australians amoungst many, and is going to hinder Bali in regards to tourism. I can't help but think, would it not have been better to have them rot in jail for the rest of their lives?? Surely it would have been a greater penalty as death did not concern the bast
Nov 18 05:56 pmAustralian yobbo tourists have destroyed bali-no justfication for blowing them up but the image of the gruff friendly aussie doesn't wash with what one sees lurchiing around Kuta in the early hours after a big night. Oversentimentalising the realtionship between the balinese and Aussies deflects from the economic necessity of it. The death penalty was fairly meted out to the terrorists it is Indonesian law - the aussies in jail would be terrified. But if you want a safe holiday go to the gol
Dec 17 03:18 pm