[bali] (no subject)

[BD]

Dear Sirs, dear friends from the mailing list!

Meanwhile I am getting already a bit better in reading Bahasa Indonesia, but please forgive me, my writing is still very bad in Indonesian language, so I prefer English.

So many things are already discussed concerning PLTGU, all of the writers know what is going on, but from the responsible government side no help, no communication, no discussion, just they force pushing their will. I still have the hope of a good solution, but maybe we will just loose, I don't know. (By the way, if there will be the PLTGU in Pemaron, there will be never a winner, all the people living in this area will be losers...). What we can do is still going on to fight for the right in a good way, maybe we have to arraign in front of the law, let's look how the problem will going on.

But whatever will come then, we have to accept. We are Indonesian, living here and have to follow the rules here.

But there is a point of view, what I want to make more strong now and asking for the government, and Power Indoensia: what do you think about all the foreign investors?
Even I am meanwhile Indonesian, I still have problems with the different thinking because of the different background and culture. But what I understand and know for sure much better than Power Indonesia, is the way of thinking of foreigners, especially Europeans. And I don't know if Power Indonesia has any idea, how much foreign money is invested in the area Lovina, how many western people in the background help Balinese people to build up a small business?
Here in the North you mostly find small foreign investment, small hotels, small restaurants, and so on. Mostly these are people who still have the dream that Bali is a wonderful peaceful place, great nature and friendly people. They want to make their dream come true and invest here and try to live here. Of course, you will never hear something from them in the public, because they have no rights here as foreigner and have to fear for their staying permit. So I can allay Power Indonesia, you will not be bothered from them - here on Bali. But western people mostly quiet strong in their character, a bit bossy and especially believe in justice. And they absolute will not accept, that somebody like Power Indonesia will destroy their dreams and their investment here in Bali. And they don't like it when from government side the normal people is treated like subjects. Most of the people I know have a very good education and background and have a very social attitude. They respect the Balinese people very much and many time want to help them. So slowly they will pull back their investment and they will spread this news in their home-countries. I can read at the moment in many German newspapers and magazines, that at the moment the writing of Bali is absolutely not what we hope. You know, this is the same in Europe like here - only bad news is news. And you can believe me; there will be a few big and important newspaper and magazines that will love to write about this scandal in the foreign countries. They will tell about the fight of a group of Balinese people who want to save Bali, who take care but are totally suppressed from corruption-business. Especially when they write, there is no justice, please tell me one reason, why any investor should invest in Bali? At least no investors with a good kind of business. Or another example - why a western lady with children should live here in a polluted area? She knows about the dangers, not like many Balinese woman in the village who not even know that burning plastic is dangerous. Under this circumstances she will prefer to go home, because this what she was dreaming form Bali is not true. It is not a clean place, not from pollution, not from moral sight of view..

So beside the sea will get harmed, the air polluted, slowly but surely less tourist in this area, there will come less foreign investors respective the investors who are here in the moment will go home, one by one. The dying of this area will be slowly, but surely. Pak Suwela will make a rumah babi I read, I am still thinking about what to do; maybe Power Indonesia has a job for me? By the way jobs for this project. It is really interesting that even bad or not interesting facts, how they push this up ... Like there will be many manpower needed for the PLTGU. I can understand the normal people - I will never blame them, many of them have no idea from this big problem, what will happen, and just looking for a job to survive with their families, especially after the bomb. But maybe PI would be so friendly and tell, how much worker (from Lovina!) they will need and for how long time and how many workers after its running? Of course there are many workers needed, but they are coming not all from Pemaron or Lovina, because their will be needed specialists. Or can a cook and a tukang pijat built up a power plant? The local people here will get only the simple and bad paid basic-jobs for a few month, only the securities will have a long-hand work. For comparison - only in our very small restaurant including the house we already have 16 workers - since 4,5 years!

And what is the planning of the government together with PI to handle the downturn of the tourists here in Lovina? Since 4,5 years we could present with our simple restaurant a nice and clean working condition for the workers. Will the government take care of this 16 quiet good-paid stuff when they loose their job? Will Power Indonesia buy our ground with buildings for 1 Milliard IDR? And we are only a very small business. What about with the big hotels, where a waiter can earn in the main-season till 1 Million Rupiah per month? You have an adequate job for them?

You really believe, Lovina is not an interesting tourist spot and it has no sense to take care of this? Did you ever make a study what is the business volume per year or month in this area? So please, give us ideas, what we shall do later on???
Of course it is very easy to make any decision, when you are not responsible for the result - great jobs!

What makes me really sad is the attitude of many rich people. I was reading a few books about how to arrange the life, how to become a good human, how to act with other people and so on and so on. But of course I make many mistakes - I am human. One thing I read impressed me very much, the theme about love. Only love can really solve problems, I think this is the one of the main point in all religions, for example what Jesus Christ said, etc. On the other hand I read a book where it is written, that real love somebody can only have who is free, like to allow oneself the luxury of love. In our case that means who have enough to live, who must not worry how to feed his children is able to love. Most of the small foreign investors here in Lovina have enough to live and they have a big love for Bali, and what you love you protect and mean it good with it. So do I and I think all friends of the mailing list. WE LOVE BALI - our love is so strong that we doing many things to protect our love, spending many of our private time, many money for telephone costs, meetings, brochures and so on. We do it not to get a good name or for earning some money - we do it for justice or just let me repeat again simply, for the love with our home. And I think every Balinese who has a bit education and enough money for example to drive a car should be able to love and to care about his home. But why the people who have the power to stop the PLTGU cannot do it? They already have enough: money, position, name. What they need more??

In Germany we say: Take good care of the cow that is giving you milk! Bali, our beautiful home, giving us the possibility to feed nearly 3.ooo.ooo people by getting the most income through tourism. So why the people in the important positions are taking so less care about Bali? Bali is already so patient, still showing its beauty, even getting treated by feet. Pollution wherever you look, rising up of bad business and so on and now as the crown here in Lovina - PLTGU. It just makes me sad.

So whatever, I can look my children in their eyes, I can try to educate them in a good way, teach them what is right and wrong, because I try to live it is well. I am still not a good Hindu, but I hope the Gods are not too angry with me, because from my heart I mean it good, with all my many mistakes I am doing. I just hope for the life of the decision makers of PLTGU they can say this as well.

We could handle the effects in our business - together with our staff - from the 11. September 2001 and from the horrible tragedy in Kuta on 12th of October 2002. But concerning PLTGU we will be helpless...


Those were now just aspects from "Tourists Thinking" and a very small business owner.

The other facts of spoiling the environment and many others I could wrote another story about it...


Enough now - Just wait and see what will happen.

I am very happy to see so many good thinking people in Bali - please go on, you have many, many hidden supporters!


With big respect for your courage fighting for justice

Yours Beate


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