Indonesia Proposes Alcohol Ban in Bali

THE TELEGRAPH: The party could soon be over in one of the world’s most beer-fuelled tourism spots, the Indonesian island of Bali, under a new law that would ban the drinking of alcohol.

The proposed bill to outlaw the production, sale and consumption of alcohol across the whole of Indonesia carries a prison sentence of up to ten years for violators. If passed, it would crush the tourism sector, industry chiefs have warned.

“No matter how beautiful the country is, if they can’t find alcohol, they [tourists] won’t want to come here,” said Hariyadi Sukamdani, the head of Indonesia's Hotel and Restaurant Association.

A ban would particularly damage the resort of Bali, one of Indonesia’s 34 provinces. » | Nicola Smith | Sunday, September 11, 2016

Miss Monde : la beauté triomphe des islamistes

Megan Young,  Miss Philippines : la nouvelle Miss Monde

leJDD: Une jeune Philippine de 23 ans a remporté le concours Miss Monde samedi, à l'issue d'une compétition que les islamistes menaçaient de saboter

Miss Philippines, Megan Young, a remporté hier le titre de Miss Monde, au cours d'une cérémonie sur l'île indonésienne de Bali placée sous haute protection en raison de l'opposition d'islamistes. La jeune femme à la beauté brune, plus occidentale qu'asiatique, a mis en échec cinq autres finalistes, notamment la Française Marine Lorphelin[.] La station balnéaire huppée de Nusa Dua, dans le sud de Bali, s'était transformée en Fort Knox avec quelque 675 policiers déployés. Les ambassades américaine, britannique et australienne avaient averti leurs ressortissants d'un possible "attentat" contre la compétition, sans plus de précisions. Bali, qui avait été le théâtre en 2002 du pire attentat islamiste qu'ait connu l'Indonésie, avec 202 morts dans une discothèque, craignait la colère des islamistes, qui avaient juré de perturber le concours. » | Karen Lajon - Le Journal du Dimanche | samedi 28 septembre 2013

Miss Monde: la finale indonésienne brave la colère islamiste

LA PRESSE: La finale du concours de Miss Monde se déroule samedi pour la première fois en Indonésie, pays musulman le plus peuplé de la planète, malgré l'ire d'islamistes et les craintes d'attentats.

Qualifiant la compétition de «concours de prostituées», des milliers de radicaux sont descendus dans la rue ces derniers mois, poussant le gouvernement à ordonner que la finale, prévue près de la capitale Jakarta, soit transférée à Bali.

Cette île paradisiaque est la seule région d'Indonésie à majorité hindouiste, et non musulmane comme le reste du pays. Habituée des hordes de touristes occidentaux qui s'exposent à moitié nus sur ses plages de sable fin, Bali ne s'offusque pas des tenues légères arborées par les Miss.

Mais le déménagement des «reines de beauté» et la promesse des organisateurs de renoncer au défilé en maillot de bain n'ont pas suffi à entièrement calmer la colère des radicaux qui promettent de perturber la finale.

«Nous allons manifester, car nous ne pouvons accepter cela», assure Haidar al Hamid, chef du Front des défenseurs de l'islam (FPI) dans l'est de Java, région située face à Bali. » | Agence France-Presse | Nusa Dua | jeudi 26 septembre 2013

Lindsay Sandiford: British Grandmother Set to Face Firing Squad after Bali Appeal Fails
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Lindsay Sandiford, the 56-year-old British grandmother facing the death sentence in Indonesia for drug trafficking, has had her appeal rejected by a court in Bali.

A spokesman announced that the high court has upheld the sentence and that Sandiford will remain scheduled to face a firing squad.

She now has 14 days to appeal to the national Supreme Court.

Sandiford, from Redcar in Teesside, was accused of being at the centre of a drug ring involving three other Britons. She insisted she was set up and was forced by a gang to smuggle drugs to protect her children.

Britain expressed "disappointment" at the failure of Sandiford's appeal and criticised the decision to apply the death penalty. However, Sandiford failed in a legal bid earlier this year to force the British government to provide legal assistance for her appeal.

"We are disappointed to hear Lindsay Sandiford's appeal has been refused by the High Court in Bali," said a spokesman for the British embassy in Jakarta.

"The UK strongly opposes the death penalty and has repeatedly made representations to the Indonesian government on this matter. We will continue to provide consular assistance to her at this difficult time." » | Jonathan Pearlman in Sydney | Monday, April 08, 2013

Australian Boy, 14, Goes On Trial in Bali
THE GUARDIAN: Teenager faces up to 12 years in prison if found guilty of buying marijuana while on holiday with his parents

A 14-year-old Australian boy charged with possessing marijuana during a holiday with his parents in Bali has gone on trial, prosecutors and the boy's lawyer said.

The boy, wearing a mask to protect his identity, arrived at Denpasar district court with his mother for a brief, closed-door hearing. » | Associated Press in Bali | Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Beat Up Infidel Tourists, Says Radical Cleric Abu Bakar Bashir
RELIGION NEWS BLOG: Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir has returned to his hardline rhetoric with a call for followers to beat up Western tourists and for young Muslims to die as martyrs.

In the sermon, organised by an Islamic youth organisation and delivered a few kilometres from the home village of convicted Bali bombers Amrozi and Mukhlas, Bashir likened tourists in Bali to “worms, snakes, maggots”, and specifically referred to the immorality of Australian infidels.

The address was caught on video by an Australian university student.

“The youth movement here must aspire to a martyrdom death,” said the cleric, who was convicted of conspiracy over the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians, but was later cleared and released from prison.

“The young must be first at the front line - don’t hide at the back. You must be at the front, die as martyrs and all your sins will be forgiven. This is how to achieve forgiveness.”

Observers said the sermon’s content was a clear indication of what many terrorism academics have noted - that the accused spiritual head of Jemaah Islamiah has been emboldened by his release from prison last year after serving 26 months for conspiracy in relation to the Bali blasts. Beat Up Infidel Tourists, Says Radical Cleric >>> By Natasha Robinson (From The Australian

Hat tip: Tammy Swofford

Mark Alexander (Paperback)
Mark Alexander (Hardback)