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Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the horror of the Bali bombings that killed 88 Aussies 10 years ago will forever haunt the nation.
On the eve of the 10th anniversary of the bombings, Ms Gillard said it would be a very solemn day.
She plans to attend a memorial ceremony in Kuta where two bomb blasts killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.
Other services will be held in Australia, including Canberra, the Sydney suburb of Coogee, the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.
‘We will honour those who were lost, embrace those who survived, and comfort those who grieve,’ Ms Gillard said.
She called on all Australians to find the time to reflect on the bombings, either at a public gathering, or alone.
‘We would give everything to erase the events of that night, from the page of history,’ she said.
‘But we cannot.
‘We will carry the images of Bali on October 12, 2002, for the rest of our days.’
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said the bombing targets 10 years ago were places frequented by Australians.
‘So this was an attack on Australia,’ Mr Abbott told parliament.
‘But it was more than that – it was an attack on civilisation.’
The opposition leader said it was to Australia’s credit that it didn’t lash out in fury at another country or religion.
Instead authorities worked with Indonesia to bring the perpetrators to justice, Mr Abbott said.
‘We will always be grateful to Indonesia and its people for doing so.
‘Our country was at its best in the aftermath of Bali.’
The Liberal leader said he looked forward to standing alongside Ms Gillard in Bali on Friday ‘to say to our country’s enemies you can hurt us but you can’t break us’.
Article from 2011 with slideshow and videos >HERE<
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