Take a brief moment
to think of all the billions of dollars that pour into
Bali each year as a result of their tourism business,
and also the millions collected as tax and service charges.
Now ask yourself why are children in certain areas of
Bali malnourished? Why are the roads, schools and hospitals
so under funded? Why is the refuse system so antiquated
and over-stretched to the point of being a major health
hazard? Bali should be an island of plenty for all,
including the Balinese. OK, so some money goes to the
Indonesian Archipelago as a whole, but where does the
real money go?
From Cradle to Grave, the Balinese are robbed
blind.
Due to the lack of role models in government
and an effective police force that serves the community,
not their pockets, the Balinese have many problems.
Their teachers often rob them (by taking food from them
and demanding they buy their school books from them
at inflated prices). Their neighbours steal from them
(during hard times, chickens and worse are routinely
stolen for cigarette, etc. money). Their employers steal
from them (by not paying them their fair / legal share
of the service charge they collect from tourists in
their name). Their government steals from them (by grabbing
private and public land, and selling it for individual
ministers personal gain, and by pocketing taxes, etc.).
The police steal from them (big time - the police are
probably the biggest crooks in Indonesia).
It is not just theft, but abuse the Balinese
have to suffer.
They are virtually ignored in matters of health,
they are certainly not taught effective health education.
Men abuse women, wholesale, in and out of marriage,
e.g. low class youths will insult or even stone girls
they want to sleep with but are refused, or sometimes
rape them). If you are a Balinese girl and date a foreigner,
locals will openly call you a prostitute in the street.
And if you are a western woman dating a Balinese man,
you too will be declared a prostitute. Many men routinely
cheat on their wives with other women, including true
prostitutes. Neighbours inflict abuse and even violence
against each other as calling the police is not an option.
Neighboring islanders simply arrive in Bali, cut down
trees on other people's land, build houses and then
claim the land as their own. Greedy property developers
with the help of corrupt building officials and the
mafia police of Bali build where they should not, and
destroy Bali's precious heritage.
It is amazing how the Balinese still manage
to smile.
But take a close look. Watch many of the Balinese
faces when they are not aware you are there or watching.
You will see the strain, stress and unhappiness show
itself. The Balinese are naturally gracious people,
but it is surprising they are able to be under such
circumstances. And you will only make their lot worse
if you support, consciously or inadvertently, the fuglies
in Bali. If you support those that steal from and /
or oppress the Balinese, you are guilty of their demise
yourself. Plain and simple.
If you visit Bali, you owe the Balinese.
The Balinese, like you, want a better life
for themselves and their children. That means having
a proper education in a well funded school to help them
leave the tourism poverty trap. That means a public
health service that serves the people, not the politician's
pockets and which simply adds to the Balinese people's
problems. Is there any doubt, if you stay at a fugly
hotel or allow the nasty corrupt Balinese police to
get your money (don't forget, that means money you pay
to a hotel, restaurant or driver - if the police take
it from them, as they do, they are taking from you)
and not do something about it. You are a part of the
problem yourself.
Please do not become a victim or part
of the problem. Read:
Bali
Tourism (Should I go, where, and how do I avoid
adding to the problem / putting myself / my family at
risk in Bali?).
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