Bali will be closed to all arrivals to the island on March 12 when the local residents observe the Day of Silence to mark the arrival of the Saka new year. All entrances to the island will be closed for 24 hours, starting from 6 a.m. local time on March 12 and ending at 6 a.m. the following day. “The closure is conducted to honor Nyepi, the Balinese Hindu Day of Silence,” the provincial administration spokesperson, I Ketut Teneng, told Bali Daily on Tuesday. Nyepi is the day to mark the beginning of the Hindu New Year according to the Saka lunar calendar.
During Nyepi, Balinese Hindus will observe four abstentions: amati geni (abstaining from lighting fires or using electricity), amati karya (abstaining from work), amati lelungan (abstaining from traveling outside family compounds) and amati lelanguan (abstaining from enjoying entertainment). The annual closure, which was first implemented 15 years ago, will affect Ngurah Rai International Airport and all sea entrances across the island, including Gilimanuk Port, Padangbai Port, Benoa Harbor, Celukan Bawang cargo port and several traditional fishing ports. All bus and public transportation terminals across Bali will stop their operations during Nyepi.
Teneng explained that Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika had officially sent letters to the airport management, ferry port management, bus terminals and all other relevant agencies related to the closure, asking them to obey and respect Nyepi. The letter was also sent to the transportation minister, foreign minister, home minister, as well as the communications and information minister. In the letter, Pastika states that the airport will be closed for any flights originating from Ngurah Rai or bound for Ngurah Rai as its final destination. However, the closure would not affect international flights in transit at Ngurah Rai International Airport, over flights, technical landings and emergency landings, including medical evacuations.
“Especially for technical landings, cabin crews and passengers are not allowed to leave the airport area during Nyepi,” Pastika said. Pastika also asked tour operators on the island to explain to their guests about the meaning of Nyepi. “The explanation is important to prevent any misperception about Nyepi,” he said. People in emergency situations are exempt from all Nyepi prohibitions. “Dispensation will be given by the customary village for emergency situations, such as sick people, women giving birth and needing to immediately go to hospital, or kepancabayan,” Pastika stated, referring to the traditional term for a situation where human life is threatened by imminent danger caused by natural disaster or violent attack. The general manager of Pelindo III Benoa Port, Iwan Sabatini, said that his company had prepared for matters related to the closure.
“We disseminated the plan to close the port to all our partners a few months ago. We have no problem implementing the policy,” he said. Iwan said the annual closure had been understood by all parties working in the port area. “Generally, all our partners already know what to do during Nyepi. We have experienced this for years,” Iwan said. Iwan added that the activities at Benoa port would ease off from one day before Nyepi. “On March 11, there will be no more ships anchoring in the port until March 13,” he added. Normally, there are hundreds of fishing vessels and around 15 ships anchored at Benoa port. “Our security staff will keep working during Nyepi to secure the port,” Iwan stated.
The closure will also affect the activities of the Air Force base at Ngurah Rai International Airport. Ngurah Rai Air Force base commander Lt. Col. Atang Sudrajat said that he would stop all activities at the base. “The responsibility for air security in the territorial space over the island will be handled by air force personnel at air bases on the neighboring island,” he stated.
source : bali daily
source : bali daily
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