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| Down Under |
| Maintain the rage on Bali, says PM |
| 2005-10-10 |
| AUSTRALIANS must not forget their sense of outrage at the latest terrorist bombings in Bali, Prime Minister John Howard said today. Mr Howard moved a motion in Parliament today condemning the October 1 attacks and expressing Australia's outrage. "The sense of innocent outrage, the sense that people going about something as inoffensive as an Australian being on holidays should have their life interrupted, and in the case of four of our fellow Australians taken away, does produce in all of us a very deep and strongly held sense of outrage," he told Parliament. "And that is a depth of feeling that should be maintained by the Australian community." Mr Howard said the impact of the October 1 attacks, which killed 23 people including four Australians, would devastate the people of Bali. He also remembered the October 12, 2002 Bali bombings which killed 88 Australians, saying a memorial service to mark the third anniversary would be held at Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday morning. Federal Opposition leader Kim Beazley said Australia's hearts were with the victims of the recent Bali bombings. "All these cases touch our hearts tremendously." Foreign Minister Alexander Downer will travel to Indonesia tomorrow to try to persuade its government to ban the Jemaah Islamiah group, thought to be responsible for the latest attacks at Kuta and Jimbaran Beach. The family of one of the Australian victims, 16-year-old Brendan Fitzgerald, is still to be told when his body might be returned. Family friend and West Australian Liberal MP Troy Buswell said he spoke to Brendan's sister today and the family was still unaware of any plans to return the teenager's body to WA. The bodies of Jennifer Williamson and Colin and Fiona Zwolinski, all from Newcastle, arrived back in Sydney yesterday. Today, the school attended by the victims' sons, St Francis Xavier College, held a memorial service for the victims. Principal Brother Hubert Williams said the service was an opportunity for the school community to support students and families affected by the attacks. "(It was a chance) to remind the school that we are all part of the greater community of humankind and that everyone is diminished in someone's death but at the same time we support (those affected)." Also back at school today was acting assistant principal Julia Lederwasch, who was discharged from hospital last week after being wounded in the bombing. Her daughter, Aleta Lederwasch, 21, remains in hospital in a stable condition. The Balinese Catholic Bishop of Denpasar, visiting Australia, has asked Australians to still consider Bali as a holiday destination. Bishop Benyamin Joseph Bria, speaking in Adelaide, had scheduled his trip to coincide with the anniversary of the 2002 blasts. "I want to make sure that you are still our friends and that we are still your friends ... and don't be afraid to come to Bali," he said today. |
| Posted by:Oztralian [AKA] God Save The World |