Archive Article: The Bali Tragedy- One Year On 10 Oct 03
December 22, 2008

The October 2002 Bali tragedy should be seen in the context of global violence and the nature of the new warfare state. First, thousands of people have been killed in recent years in Indonesia by Islamic fundamentalists. There are conflicts raging across the country from Aceh in the west, the Moluccas (Spice Islands) in the centre and West Papua in the east. The Indonesian invasion of East Timor in 1975 resulted, as a proportion of the population, in one of the bloodiest wars of the 20th century.

Second, there are various terrorist groups at work in Indonesia and the neighbouring countries. Jemaah Islamiya (JI) is currently the main one. It seeks to create an Islamic state consisting of Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and the southern Philippines. 80 per cent of the national borders around the world were created by Europeans. JI does not recognize the European boundaries in south-east Asia and seeks to fashion its own state. But JI is just one of several Islamic fundamentalist groups in our region using violence. The Philippines-based Moro Liberation Front and Abu Sayyaf, for example, have also committed terrorism, including the killing of foreign tourists.

Within each group, there are often cells at work. The IRA‘s experience in Northern Ireland was that in the early days of its campaign, the British army used to capture some of the senior people and then learned a great deal about the rest of the organization. The IRA then figured that it was safer to operate in semi-autonomous cells. The capture of one cell does not automatically lead to information on other cells. The disadvantage of this method is that when some form of peace agreement is reached, some cells may decide to fight on. This is the current problem in Northern Ireland. Most of the IRA have given up the struggle but some of the members are running with their own agenda.

Third, the targets in Bali were not so much “Australians” as “foreign tourists”, who happened to be Australian. Targeting foreign tourists is now a weapon of terrorism. Killing one’s own population does not get much international publicity but killing a Briton automatically guarantees BBC coverage, an American CNN coverage and Australian deaths will guarantee Australian media coverage. The object of terrorism is to terrify. “Kill one and scare a hundred”, as the saying goes. Thus obtaining international media coverage is an important part of a terrorist’s agenda.

How are we as Christians to respond? Paul in his first Letter to the Christians in Thessalonica, the capital of Macedonia and then a seaport of about 20,000 people, gave some good advice that remains important for today.

Be alert to world issues. Do not be diverted by the entertainments of secular society (such as the excessive attention to sport and television). For example, this could mean involvement in organizations working for a better world. Build one another up. It is not enough merely to refrain from certain actions; there is the obligation to actually assist others. Be active: we have a responsibility help our fellow human beings.

Second, rejoice always. Christianity is not sullen or sour. Christians have a hidden source of joy: a present saviour and a blessed hope. And so in everything give thanks. Do not give way to pessimism. Christians need to show by their everyday lives that they are in fact Christians filled with hope.

We do not know what the future holds – but we do know Who holds the future. Therefore, we should live by faith and not by fear.

Broadcast Friday 10th October 2003 on Radio 2GB’s “Brian Wilshire Programme” at 9pm.