Bali Bombers and The Mentang Kid

In stark fashion, two contrasting news stories have dominated the news here the past few weeks…providing interesting and divergent thoughts on pluralism, rule of law and forgiveness:

Last Sunday morning, the Indonesian government executed 3 men for their involvement in the 2002 terrorist Bali nightclub bombing that killed 202 people. The execution led to stepped up security measures following urgings by the prisoners for people to avenge their deaths. Following advice from the U.S. embassy, we “laid low” last weekend to avoid potential mobs of angry people. The mobs seemed to be contained to the bombers home villages.

Less than two weeks ago, the U.S. elected Barack Obama as new President. Policy aside, President elect Obama represents the best of what America stands for to Indonesia: opportunity, achievement, equality, change and diversity. Add to that the fact that he lived in Jakarta for 4 years as a young boy and that his half sister is Indonesian and you have Obamamania. In fact, he is known as the Mentang Kid here (Mentang is the neighborhood he lived in Jakarta).

sweeda