Bali's Forgotten Survivors
The Impact of the Bali Bombings on Local People
The Bali bombing may have been targeted at Westerners but its the Balinese who have suffered most. Unemployment and poverty have skyrocketed.
Many Balinese interpreted the explosion as a sign of their own spiritual failing, rather than an act of terror. "This is God's way of getting back at human beings since they've started to destroy nature," claims the High Priest. The bomb signalled the end of tourism, and with that huge unemployment has followed. Many now believe that the bombing was both a spiritual and economic call to return to the agricultural industry. However, with most land now owned by property developers, this is virtually impossible. The widows and children of those killed are learning to heal themselves. Encouraged to openly express their grief, the women have built a memorial site and are learning to deal with their terrible pain.
Produced by ABC Australia.
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