Bali peace park memorial welcomed
The announced purchase of land in Kuta for a Bali Peace Park Museum is the culmination of a 20-year campaign by Perth residents to have one of the world’s worst terrorist attacks properly acknowledged.
Badung Regency Government this week confirmed the purchase of the 0.15 hectares of land where the former Sari Club stood and three bombs killed 202 people, including 88 Australians, on October 12, 2002.
See: New Bali Peace Park Museum To Be Built On Bombing Site – The Bali Sun
“We’re excited by this purchase, which is the culmination of decades of work by our association to keep the site earmarked for such a development,” spokesperson Keith Pearce said today.
“It is a pity that foundation members, Nick Way, Gary Nash and Kevin Paltridge passed on before seeing their dream coming to fruition.”
The association sent a delegation to meet with the Badung Regency in March last year. “The Regency expressed support for our peace park initiative. We advised the Regency that we had ceased our attempts to purchase the Sari Club site directly, but still fully supported a peace park on the site.”
“We expect a formal announcement of the Regency’s intended plan for the development to be made after the induction of the newly elected Baputi (Regent), Adi Aranda, on February 6.
“The Bali Memorial Association looks forward to working with the Regency and other authorities to ensure an appropriate development that tells the story of those that were lost in a respectful manner and points to the need to combat terrorism to create a peaceful future.”
The association welcomed plans for a museum not only as a space for reflection but also as a symbol of peace. Detailed engineering design is expected this year with construction next year.
Bali Memorial Repair
Since representatives of Bali Memorial Association met with the Badung Regency in March 2024 and commented on the poor state of the Bali Memorial in Kuta the Regency has commenced major repair work. The work started toward the end of July 2024 and is planned to be completed before the anniversary of the 2002 bombing on the 12th of October 2024.
To see the early stages of the work click HERE
Meeting with Badung Regency
Following meetings between representatives of the Bali Memorial Association and the Badung Regency in Bali in March 2024 the Regency posted the article below on their web page.
Receives Representatives from Australian Organizations Caring for Bali Bombing Victims, Regional Secretary Adi Arnawa Says Badung Supports Plan to Build a Peace Park
March 20, 2024
Meeting with Badung Regional Secretary, Adi Arnawa. PHOTO – DOC.
MANGUPURA, FAJARBADUNG.COM – The Badung Regency Government provides support and is ready to facilitate plans to build a peace park or Bali Bomb Museum. It is hoped that the construction of this museum will become a place to commemorate the Bali bombings, as a learning experience for the younger generation and as a new tourist destination in Badung.
This was conveyed by Badung Regional Secretary I Wayan Adi Arnawa when receiving representatives of organizations caring for the victims of the Bali bombings from Australia, namely the association of families and communities caring for the victims of the Bali bombings who were gathered in the management of the Peace Park (Peace Park Foundation) and the Wives of Husbands and Children of the Gods (Isana Dewata) in Badung Community Center, Tuesday (19/3).
Three representatives of the organization were present, namely Keith Pearce, David Napoli and Jennifer Pearce. Meanwhile, the Regional Secretary was accompanied by the Head of Culture I Gde Eka Sudarwitha, Head of Kuta District, Head of Kuta Village, representatives from the PUPR Service, Tourism Service and Social Welfare Department.
Regional Secretary Adi Arnawa expressed his gratitude for the arrival of organizations from Australia to meet with the Badung Government and wanted to know how far the plans for the museum had progressed. The district government is serious. Badung to continue plans to build this museum, which was the initial idea of the Australian organization.
It was explained that previously the Regency Government. Badung has tried to facilitate it, due to budget constraints, until now it has not been realized. However, it is said that currently a feasibility study (FS) for the construction of the museum is being carried out by the Culture Service.
“The FS has been created by the Culture Service and is complete. Tomorrow (today-ed) the FS results can be presented in front of organizational representatives. “We have again invited the Australian organization, we are meeting again for this FS presentation,” explained Adi Arnawa. It is hoped that from this FS presentation there will be input from Australia to improve the drawings created.
Adi Arnawa also hopes that in the future development process, starting from land acquisition and physical development, there will be cooperation between the Badung Regency Government and the Australian side.
“We will welcome cooperation between the Badung Regency Government and organizations from Australia. “Maybe later, when the concept has been agreed, we can share financing issues for the sake of acceleration,” he added, adding that if there is a common ground, his party is ready to go to Australia to meet with the Australian government to follow up on this matter.
Meanwhile, one of the representatives of the organization caring for the Bali bombing victims, David Napoli, was very grateful to have been able to meet with the Badung Government. It is true that the Australian organization is serious about building a museum to commemorate the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings. He also really appreciates the Badung Government for supporting and being ready to facilitate and help build this museum.
“Our presence here is to introduce ourselves and also to know about future plans regarding the construction of the museum and what contribution we can make to participate in this plan,” continued David Napoli.***