Lombok, just to the east of Bali is known for some tourist hot spots like the Gili islands, its own Kuta Beach, and the trekking favorite, Mt. Rinjani, but recent violence is reminding us of a darker side of our neighboring island.
Tourists were reportedly threatened and violently attacked with machetes in two separate incidents on the same day, Dec. 2, in south Lombok.
In the first attack, an American man was reportedly robbed around 3 pm as he was driving from Selong Belanak Praya Barat, bound for Kuta. It is understood that he was not alone and accompanied by another American, based on an alert message sent from the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya.
The man driving stopped the car, turning off the engine, when the road was blocked by a power cable, but before he could even register what was happening, he was ambushed by a group of men who demanded he hand over his valuables, according to the Lombok Post. He apparently tried to resist, but was ultimately outnumbered, overpowered, and assaulted.
The bandits made off with the man’s stuff, but local residents heard his screaming and were at least able to help him and rush him to seek medical assistance.
“With the help of residents, the victim was rushed to the nearest health center, to be referred to a hospital in Mataram,” police spokesman Nurodin SIK said on Dec. 3, as quoted by the Lombok Post.
From the attack, the man reportedly suffered severe slash wounds and his left pinky finger was almost severed, though Lombok Post did not report anything about a second American citizen being injured.
Just an hour after the American’s attack, at about 4 pm, a similar incident happened to two German women, but at a different location in Lombok. This incident was reportedly on the main road to Areguling Beach. The two women were riding a motorcycle when two machete-wielding men allegedly drove up behind them, threatening to attack them if they didn’t give up their bags.
The thieves were able to snatch one of the women’s bags that she was wearing and allegedly made off with about Rp 11 juta worth of valuables including mobile phones, cameras, and cash. Fortunately the two women were not reported seriously injured.
Both incidents were reported to the police on the same day and police say they are working to identify and trace the whereabouts of the perpetrators.
As mentioned, the disturbing incidents against the tourists were acknowledged in an alert message from the U.S. Consulate, though the government’s alert varied slightly from Lombok Post’s account by instead stating that two Americans were involved in the attack near Selong Belanak when they “encountered a makeshift roadblock on a dirt road”, not referencing anything about a power cable.
Here’s the message the U.S. Consulate posted:
This sort of violence or at least threat of violence, especially in broad daylight, is terrifying and unfortunately not the first time this kind of incident has happened in the area. As deplorable as these perps’ actions are and as hard as police say they are working to investigate the incidents, there’s no saying when or where exactly this sort of thing could happen again. Please exercise caution during your travels, everyone!
