[Marinir] Bali Police Adopt a New Security Approach to Nyepi

[Yap Hong Gie]

Om Swastiastu ...

In deference to "Nyepi" - the day of absolute silence on Bali, this edition 
of Bali Update is being sent before sunrise (Bali Time) on March 19, 2006 in 
keeping with local religious strictures which forbid all kind of activities 
for 24 hours starting from 6:00 a.m.on Monday, March 19th. Bali will 
resemble a ghost town later today with all ports and airports closed, all 
streets empty, and local houses shuttered and dark.

In this week's "Nyepi" edition - the news is anything but quiet. February 
arrival figures are in and, like January, set new records for island 
arrivals. In late breaking news, speculation is rife in the national press 
that the Government will issues orders this week to permanently close 
troubled low-cost airline Adam Air. There's an update on Air Paradise who 
now say they'll fly again in May, that is, if they can find an airplane to 
lease. Also blaming a lack of available airplanes, Garuda indefinitely 
extends its suspension of service on the Bali - Brisbane -Auckland route.

The big news of the coming week is the commencement of Qatar Airway flights 
starting on March 25th. Read our article to learn more.

Snow in Bali? Impossible? Think again and read our coverage of a cold front 
expected at the Kuta Galleria Shopping Center for the next 3 months.

There's an interesting study just out ranking all the world's nations in 
terms of their tour & travel competitiveness. Find out how Indonesia ranked. 
And, we've got a tongue-in-cheek look at how Indonesia could sell naming 
rights to over 6,000 islands as a means to raise much-needed foreign 
exchange.

Just some of the news in this week's Bali Update.

Selamat Hari Nyepi. Happy New Year 1929 Saka

Come home to Bali: Our magic is indestructible.T

Om Çanti Çanti Çanti Om ...

J.M. Daniels -Bali Update
Bali Discovery Tours


http://www.balidiscovery.com/messages/message.asp?Id=3698

Bali Police Adopt a New Security Approach to Nyepi

Over 7,000 'Low Profile' Police to Be on Active Duty During Coming Bali 
'Nyepi' New Year Celebrations in Bali.

(3/10/2007) The Chief of Police for Bali, Inspector General Drs. Paulus 
Purwoko has introduced changes in the way his officers will keep the peace 
over the coming Nyepi holidays. In anticipation of this year's the pre-Nyepi 
festivities, including the traditional ogoh-ogoh parades, Chief Purwoko will 
deploy 7,000 officers with 400 mobile brigade (Brimob) reserves on stand-by 
at their barracks.

Differing from the security approach of past years, uniformed officers will 
adopt a lower profile during Bali's official day of silence, leaving 
front-line maintenance of the peace to pecalang or local community volunteer 
forces during this year's celebrations. In explaining the new approach to 
the Indonesian-language Bali Post, Chief Purwoko said: "the police will be 
on guard at their posts, awaiting operational commands if there are any 
disturbances. The function of 'pecalang' will be made more effective; while 
we (the police) will back them up ensuring that anarchy is avoided."

Purwoko went on to explain that he deemed a full deployment of his officers 
to the field over the holidays ineffective, with their presence having the 
potential to disrupt ceremonies and ritual. Instead, the police will be 
depending on intelligence operatives while keeping a full force in reserve 
at local station houses. "There will be sufficient officers in the field 
with full back up in reserve ready to be deployed at a moment's notice," 
added Chief Purwoko.

As an added guarantee of safety over the Nyepi Eve the Bali police have held 
coordinating discussions with Bali Hindu religious associations and 
religious leaders to ensure that every ogoh-ogoh parade seeks prior 
agreement from every village included on the parade routes. In the past, 
sporadic fighting has occasionally occurred between parade participants from 
competing villages.

150 Ogoh-Ogoh

In striving to coordinate ogoh-ogoh activities the Bali police have already 
registered 150 separate parades occurring on the south of the Island. In an 
additional step to keep the peace, police have recently intensified raids to 
confiscate illegal liquor supplies in an effort to curb public drunkenness 
during the Holiday.

Recommendations from Chief Purwoko

In order to maintain good public order over the Nyepi period, Bali's police 
chief General Paulus Purwoko has issued 5 recommendations to the people of 
Bali:

1) Ogoh-ogoh parades should be confined to the home villages of the 
participants. When the parade route goes outside the home village, prior 
permission should be obtained from the any villages the parade will pass 
through. Those organizing ogoh-ogoh parades must assume complete 
responsibility on the conduct of the activity.

2) Celebrants should avoid the use of alcohol in celebrating Nyepi

3) Ogoh-ogoh statues should be destroyed or disposed of after celebrations 
and not be left in places that will inconvenience the public.

4) The official day of silence in Bali will take place between 06:00 a.m. on 
March 19th and end 24 hours later at 06:00 a.m. on March 20th.

5) Religious leaders and community leaders are asked to take an active role 
in preserving harmonious community relations in order that the Nyepi 
holidays can take place without incident.

Related Stories

[Bali's Airport Closed for 24 Hours on March 19, 2007]

[Nyepi 2007 to Fall on March 19, 2007]

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