It's Time to Die for Bali bombers

by Cindy Wockner in Jakarta

July 27, 2008 12:00am

AUTHORITIES are scouting for execution sites for the Bali bombers' imminent date with firing squads. Prosecutors this week went to Nusa Kambangan Island - where smiling assassin Amrozi, his older brother Mukhlas and Imam Samudra are jailed - to look for a suitable site.
The trio, found guilty of involvement in the 2002 bombings that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians, are held in maximum security cells.

Bali's chief prosecutor Dewa Putu Alit Adnyna has reiterated the Indonesian Attorney-General wants the trio executed before the beginning of the Holy Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, which begins about September 1. One of the prosecutors inspecting execution sites was Ida Bagus Wiswantanu - who handled Schapelle Corby's case. He said the execution site was a secret. But it is understood it will be in the south of Nusa Kambangan Island, off central Java.

It is believed to be close to the place where, in late June, two Nigerian drug traffickers were tied to poles late at night and shot dead at the same time. Nusa Kambangan Island, just off the coast of Cilacap, has five jails and an oil refinery. The island is heavily wooded and the execution site is close to a road so vehicles can get in and out. Indonesia's Attorney-General, Hendarman Supandji, said he hoped the executions would be before Ramadan.
Mr Adnyna yesterday said he was doing everything to meet the time frame.

The Supreme Court recently announced the bombers had exhausted all avenues of appeal.
Lawyers for the men intend to lodge a complaint about the form of the appeal denial.
"If that is the decision, it (a court clerk's letter) did not explain who is the judge and the date the decision was made is not there also," lawyer Mahendradatta said.

Mahendradatta said the lawyers would write to the Supreme Court tomorrow and ask to see an official court decision made by judges. He said executions should be done according to the due process of law. The three firing squads will be formed by Brimob, the jail's paramilitary police squad. The three men will be executed simultaneously by firing squads of 12 men each. In each squad, up to six men will have live rounds and the rest will fire blanks.
In the past six weeks Indonesia has executed six people, drug dealers and murderers.
By law, executions must not be seen by any member of the public.

source :
http://www.news.com.au

Sanur

Derived from the two words “saha” and “nuhur”, which means having a passion to visit a certain place, Sanur represents a name that carries important history for tourism in Indonesia, and Bali more specific. It was on the very beach of Sanur that the first Netherland troops set foot on the island of Bali in 1906. This was also the exact place that the first war occurred between the Netherlands against the community of Bali in defending their land from colonialism. This war was later known as the Puputan Badung, a heroic event that is strongly remembered by every individual Balinese until today’s generation.

Talking about Balinese art, Sanur is the true pioneer of arts and tourism instead of Ubud. It was Sanur that Le Mayeur, a Belgium artist, made his home in the 1930s. He fell in love with the people and the abundance of nature, which inspired him to paint hundreds of paintings. And it was here too that Donald Friend, a gifted illustrator, also known as Tuan Raksasa or Lord Devil Donald, who bought much of the beach on which today’s Sanur is built.

Located in the southern part of Bali around 30 minutes from the Ngurah Rai International Airport, Sanur is famed for its beautiful strip of pure sandy beaches across the coastal line. It is also reputed for its spectacular sunrises, which literally mark a new day in the life of the Balinese. In addition to being home to some of Bali’s best known hotels, Sanur is also a very cozy, comfortable residential area. As such, it is much quieter than Kuta and has more “Balinese character” than the newer Nusa Dua resort area.

As the first witness of the Bali tourism industry, Sanur has a lot of historical landmarks such as The Bali Hyatt, Villa Batu Jimbar, and the Inna Grand Bali Beach Hotel, the first international hotel in Bali where the 1st President of Indonesia, Soekarno, and the Prime Minister of India, Mahatma Gandhi, have stayed.

By the 1960s, Sanur was the “in” place where Walter Spies, Sophia Loren and even some royalty kept a low profile and immersed themselves in paradise. Mick Jagger and his former wife Jerry Hall even made Sanur as their second home. They stayed at Tandjung Sari Hotel and were wedded there in a traditional Hindu Balinese ceremony in 1990.

Sanur also has a well-deserved reputation for magic. In the ’70s, wars were ongoing between the shamans of Sanur and of the Kamasan village in the KlungKung regency. It is said that many people witnessed strange occurrences during this time such as red lights darting above houses and other unexplainable phenomena. Today, Sanur retains its laid-back atmosphere with a few changes for the good. Thankfully, there are no more signs of magic, though.

Many new restaurants that offer a wide variety of both Western and Indonesian cuisines have opened as well. Trendy restaurants such as Batu Jimber, Four Points and Ryoshi are situated on the main road, Jl. Danau Tamblingan, which runs through central Sanur. There are also many good restaurants on the beach or down side streets.

If you are looking for a more authentic culinary experience, then you should definitely check out Warung Mak Beng, a favorite among locals since 1941. She is reputed to serve the best crunch Fried Fish and mouthwatering Fish Soup in Sanur.

The beaches of Sanur are perhaps the best feature of this quaint village. They span from as far north as Padang Galak Beach, with its expansive stretch of black sand, and down south to Mertasari Beach. Several beaches lie in between, and all blend together seamlessly with an attractive boardwalk that spans the tract from Sanur to Mertasari. Visitors can take leisurely walks or cycle stress-free because no motorbikes are allowed here.

Recently, all Sanur beaches have been reclaimed under a project sponsored by the World Bank and the Japanese government. Tons of sand were brought in from the ocean to replace the sand that had been washed away. The boardwalk was also repaired and extended to Mertasari Beach, and several small gazebos were built on the jetties for visitors.

Sanur’s beaches are ideal for families because the water is much calmer than at Kuta or Seminyak and therefore a lot safer for children. Many fun beach activities are also held in the area for everyone to enjoy.
By the Hyatt Bali at Semawang Beach, visitors can choose from a variety of water sports, such as parasailing, jet skiing, water skiing or even book a diving trip to Nusa Penida, where they can view all kinds of beautiful tropical fish and colorful coral.

For those seeking less thrills and who prefer to experience a bit of the “old” Bali, try renting a jukung — a traditional wooden boat decorated with multi-colored paint. These boats are customarily used for fishing the seas, but local boat owners often supplement their income by taking tourists out to the reef for snorkeling or sightseeing. Yes, there are hawkers here too, but they don’t hassle visitors as much as they do on other beaches, and escaping them is easy enough with a smile.

And one event not to be missed is the annual Sanur Village Festival (SVF) at Inna Grand Bali Beach and Segara Beach hotels from Aug. 15-19 featuring cultural performances, sports, culinary events and other fun activities. Domestic and international tourists are invited to enjoy the festival, which will also include painting, bonsai exhibitions, a jazz festival, sport activities and cultural parade. With its myriad of authentic uniqueness and its eclectic aesthetic galore, Sanur is truly presenting a more than eyes worth visit.

resource:
http://www.baliplus.com

News on July 2008

date		events
2nd~6th		Lomba Utsawa Dharma Gita will be held by the Cultural Department as part of Sightseeing Denpasar 2008.
10th~13th		Kite Race at Lapangan Padang Galak will be held by the Tourism Department at Lapangan Padanggalak.
12th ~ 19th		Pasar Rakyat will be held by Dinas Koperasi / Dekopinda as an event of the Sightseeing Denpasar 2008 agenda.
17th		Purnama Kasa is a ceremony held for full moon.
23rd		National Children Day will be held at Lapangan Puputan Badung.
26th		Tumpek Ngatag/Pangarah/Uduh is a day devoted to Ida Sanghyang widhi Wasa / Almighty God as Sanghyang Sangkara, Lord of all food plants and vegetation. Blessing ceremonies are focused at gardens, rice fields and plantations for good crops and products. Balinese people (Hindu devotees) lay offerings as the expression of gratitude to the Almighty God on His bestowal to create plants as resources for the prosperity of mankind.
30th		Isra ‘Mi’raj Nabi Muhammad SAW in Islamic tradition are two parts of a journey that Prophet Muhammad SAW took in one night, in 621 AD (1 BH). Many Muslims consider it a physical journey but some Islamic scholars consider it a dream.