Message from Bali
Nov 3rd, 2002 by Jinja
Well, it’s not Cambodia – but given all the worry about the ASEAN summit, here is a little bit of news…
Dear friends,
This is a message from Parum Samigita which is the
Think Tank for the Banjars (Village Councils) of the
Kuta, Legian and Seminyak areas of Bali. It comes from
the heart of the Balinese people at ground zero in
Kuta and was delivered at a press conference 100m
south of ground zero yesterday. It expresses what the
people of Kuta want to say to the world. Please, if
you can, help them to get their message across. This
message may be published or passed on.
Parum Samigita has been coordinating relief efforts
for the Balinese and migrant Indonesian families who
have been dispossessed by the bombing. Now We Move
Forward! Sekarang Kita Maju!
Laine Berman
>25th October 2002
>We Balinese have an essential concept of balance. It’s
>the Tri Hita Karana; a concept of harmonious balance.
>The balance between God and humanity; Humanity with
>itself and Humanity with the environment. This places
>us all in a universe of common understanding.
>
>It is not only nuclear bombs which have fallout. It is
>our job to minimize this fallout for our people and
>our guests from around the world. Who did this? It’s
>not such an important question for us to discuss. Why
>this happened; maybe this is more worthy of thought.
>
>What can we do to create beauty from this tragedy and
>come to an understanding where nobody feels the need
>to make such a statement again? This is important.
>This is the basis from which we can embrace everyone
>as a brother; everyone as a sister.
>
>It is a period of uncertainty. It is a perio! d of
>change. It is also an opportunity for us to move
>together into a better future. A future where we
>embrace all of humanity in the knowledge that we all
>look and smell the same when we are burnt. Victims of
>this tragedy are from all over the world.
>
>The past is not significant. It is the future which is
>important. This is the time to bring our values, our
>empathy, to society and the world at large. To care.
>To Love.
>
>The modern world brings to many of us the ability to
>rise above the core need for survival. Most people in
>the developed world no longer need to struggle to
>simply stay alive. It is our duty to strive to improve
>our quality of life.
>
>We want to return to our lives. Please help us realize
>this wish. Why seek retribution from people who are
>acting as they see fit? These people are misguided
>from our point of view. Ob! viously, from theirs, they
>feel justified and angry enough to make such a brutal
>statement.
>
>We would like to send a message to the world – Embrace
>this misunderstanding between our brothers and let’s
>seek a peaceful answer to the problems which bring us
>to such tragedy.
>
>We embrace all the beliefs, hopes and dreams of all
>the people in the world with Love. Do not bring malice
>to our world. What has happened has happened. Stop
>talking about the theories of who did this and why. It
>does not serve the spirit of our people. Words of hate
>will not rebuild our shops and houses. They will not
>heal damaged skin. They will not bring back our dead.
>
>Help us to create beauty out of this tragedy. Our
>community is bruised and hurting. Our spirit can never
>be broken. Everybody in the world is of one principle
>brotherhood. Tat Wam Asi: You are me and ! I am you. We
>have a concept in Bali, Ruwa Bhineda, a balance
>between good and bad. Without bad there can be no
>good. The Bad is the ÎsiblingÌ of the Good. Embrace
>this concept and we can move forward into a better
>world.
>
>You love your husband and wife but sometimes you
>fight. Fear arises and shows its opposition to love.
>This is normal. This is a natural, essential part of
>life. There is Sekala / Nisikala – the underworld
>forever in darkness merging with our world in the
>light.
>
>These are the concepts by which we, as Balinese, live
>our lives. Please, we beg you, talk only of the good
>which can come of this. Talk of how we can reconcile
>our apparent differences. Talk of how we can bring
>empathy and love into everybodyÌs lives.
>
>The overwhelming scenes of love and compassion at
>Sanglah Hospital show us the way forward into the
future. If we hate our brothers and sisters we are
>lost in Kali Yuga (Age of Darkness). If we can Love
>all of our brothers and sisters, we have already begun
>to move into Kertha Yuga (Golden Age). We have already
>won The War Against Terrorism.
>
>Thank you for all your compassion and love,
>Asana Viebeke L
>Kuta Desa Adat
>Parum Samigita
