BALI BOMBINGS MEMORIAL, PERTH

The 2002 Bali bombings occurred on 12 October 2002 in the tourist district of Kuta on the Indonesian island of Bali. The attack was claimed as the deadliest act of terrorism in the history of Indonesia according to the current police general, killing 202 people, (including 88 Australians, and 38 Indonesian citizens).

A further 240 people were injured. Various members of Jemaah Islamiyah, a violent Islamist group, were convicted in relation to the bombings, including three individuals who were sentenced to death. The attack involved the detonation of three bombs: A backpack-mounted device carried by a suicide bomber; a large car bomb, both of which were detonated in or near popular nightclubs in Kuta; and a third much smaller device detonated outside the United States consulate in Denpasar, causing only minor damage.

An audio-cassette purportedly carrying a recorded voice message from Osama Bin Laden stated that the Bali bombings were in direct retaliation for support of the United States' war on terror and Australia's role in the liberation of East Timor. On 9 November 2008, Imam Samudra, Amrozi Nurhasyim and Huda bin Abdul Haq were executed by firing squad on the island prison of Nusakambangan at 00:15 local time (17:15 UTC). On 9 March 2010, Dulmatin, nicknamed "the Genius" – believed to be responsible for setting off one of the Bali bombs with a mobile phone – was killed in a shoot-out with Indonesian police in Jakarta.

The Bali Memorial was commissioned in memory of the Western Australian victims of the tragic bombing in Bali and to honour of the individuals and institutions that helped all the people in need. The Memorial is nestled in the native landscape of Kings Park escarpment.

It embraces the natural qualities of the site and looks out from the landscape park,across the open expanse of the Swan River to distant Darling Rangers stretched below the vast open sky. The structure is composed of two axes; The Swan River axis captures a framed view across the river to the rangers beyond, while the Sun Rise axis gathers the first rays of light on the 12th of October each year to illuminate the cast bronze plaque inscribed with the victims names.

The design features local materials and artworks including some evocative text carved into the sandstone.  The design celebrates relationships between people.  Its informal arrangement suggests an anti-moment that offers casual meeting places for families, friends and visitors to the site, who may wish to capture a moment of reflection on this significant event in the history of our nation.

This post is part of the Taphophile Tragics meme,
and also part of the Our World Tuesday meme.