I'm not all that sure that Bali really is a part of Indonesia.

I think many Balinese I know are unsure, too. At the very least, many of them would probably be happy to secede, but don't know how. Especially when one reminds them of how they're being re-colonised by Javanese and western multinationals.

I also know for a fact that many Australians know of two main places around these parts: there's Indonesia and there's Bali. Maybe the wheel is starting to turn, albeit very slowly. East Timor got out, the hard way. It remains to be seen what happens with Aceh, but my understanding of Indonesian history is that the Acehnese didn't really want to be a part of Indonesia in the first place. And when they were subsumed, did you know that the people of Aceh donated one of Garuda Airway's first planes? (I read that in the Garuda flight magazine, I think).

So, whether it's Emerging Turd-World Archipelago, or something quite different, only time will tell. Perhaps the Balinese, sitting so precariously under the gigantic Jakarta umbrella, have cause for concern. They are way-outnumbered, that's for sure. And they have no where to run to.

If the tourism industry drys up here, I'm not convinced that the heavies will look upon it too kindly. At least not until they sell all their hotels, resorts, supermarkets, etc.