Australians gather at memorial services for Bali bombings anniversary
Australians have gathered at two memorial services for the 20th anniversary of the Bali bombings tragedy that scarred the nation.
Eighty-eight white doves have been released at Sydney’s Coogee Beach, one for each of the Australians who were killed on October 12, 2002.
Survivors, police officers and past and former politicians were among those who gathered at Coogee and at Parliament House in Canberra on the 20th anniversary of the Bali bombings.
Two separate commemorative services were held on Wednesday morning to reflect on the tragedy in which twin explosions tore through Bali’s nightclub district.
The suicide bombings killed 202 people, including 88 Australians and 38 Indonesians.
Paul Yeo spoke at the memorial in Coogee, paying tribute to his brother Gerard, a member of the Coogee Dolphins rugby league club who was killed that night along with five of his teammates.
Mr Yeo said Gerard had only recently moved to Coogee from Dubbo in regional NSW before he went on the trip to Bali.
“We thought what a better way to get a young fella into the community? To have a game of football,” Mr Yeo said.
Mr Yeo recalled the moment he called his father to inform him that it “wasn’t looking good for his boy” in Bali.
“Silence followed, he was broken,” Mr Yeo said.
He had decided not to attend the club’s annual end of year trip to Bali because his first child was due to be born not long after.
“He reminds me of Gez in so many ways,” he said of his son, Joseph.
The Dolphins also lost Clint Thompson, Adam Howard, David Mavroudis, Shane Foley and Joshua Iliffe in the bombings.
Dave Byron, who lost his 15-year-old daughter Chloe in the bombings, delivered the closing address.
Wearing the floral shirt he bought during that fateful trip to Bali, Mr Byron told the crowd he had not planned on going to the memorial.
“I woke up this morning and honestly I just felt like death,” Mr Byron said.
“I got in the car, I drove round Bondi three times, pulled up and I see all of you guys.
“And you guys are what make my heart swell.”
Mr Byron said he often came to the Dolphin Point memorial on the harder days.
“When I feel blue, I just pop in and say hello to everyone and I feel better,” he said.
Anthony Albanese gave a speech at the Coogee service in which he remembered the “stolen futures” of those who died in the twin blasts.
The Prime Minister condemned the “architects of slaughter” who orchestrated the terrorist attack that killed more Australians than any other event of its kind.
But Mr Albanese said the Bali bombings brought out the very best in people who displayed heroism and selflessness as they “ran towards terror” to support friends and strangers alike.
“That night, the terrorists could not achieve their aim. What they struck, they could not defeat,” he said.
In Canberra, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong welcomed on behalf of the Australian government the survivors, first responders and the families of the victims in the audience.
“Twenty years have passed since that terrible night, 20 years since 202 lives were so callously taken,” she said.
“Among them 88 Australians, 38 Indonesians and citizens of 20 other countries
“Today we remember what was taken. Today we remember what was lost and we wonder what might have been had they all come home.”
Senator Wong said those behind the attack wanted to divide Australia and Indonesia and “shatter the bond between two great democracies”.
“But the worst of humanity brought out the very best. Out of that dark act were born such radiant acts of courage and of love,” she said.
“The story of that night is also one of great courage and resilience – a story that many of you here today know so well.”
Visitors were invited to each add a flower to a large wreath in the hall at Parliament House.
The ceremony was emceed by veteran journalist Ray Martin, who travelled to Bali to cover the aftermath of the bombings.
“We acknowledge … the close friendship between our two countries perhaps even made closer by a terrible tragedy and its aftermath,” Mr Martin said at the ceremony on Wednesday.
Governor-General David Hurley read a poem asking time to soften the pain of those who had lost loved ones “until all that remains is the warmth of the memories and the love”.
Indonesian Ambassador Siswo Pramono said the “hideous crime” was one of the saddest days in his country’s history.
“And even though a lot of hearts were broken, and our loved ones were taken from us, there was something the terrorists couldn’t take: our love and compassion to others,” he said.
“And the idea that people are equal in rights and freedoms.”
Former prime minister John Howard also reflected on one of what was one of the defining events of his time in office.
Mr Howard said he had just returned to his Kirribilli residence after a morning walk when he received the phone call from one of his staff.
“One of my staff rang me, he said, ‘Bad news boss, somebody’s flattened a club and another night spot and a lot of people have been killed, we don’t know how many, a lot of Australians’,” Mr Howard told Today on Wednesday morning.
“I just developed this sickening feeling that this was going to be a terrible event and all the news that came through suggested that there had been a lot of casualties.”
Mr Howard said it was a life-changing moment for a nation which had previously felt safe from such atrocities.
“This idea that we were in any way immune from terrorism, that was blown away that morning,” he said.