Indonesia Deported Russian Sex Workers and Photographers in Bali

Liputan6.com, Bali - Tourism in Bali is recovering as the fear of COVID-19 pandemic has been dimming. During the height of the pandemic, Bali suffered heavily because of the lack of tourists. Now tourists from all over the world, including China and Russia, are coming back.

The recovery, however, has met with mixed feelings. Balinese locals and activists have voiced their concerns about the behavior of unruly tourists in Bali. Among them are the Russian tourists.

Balinese activist and businesswoman, Niluh Djelantik, openly raised concern on her social media about the Russian tourists in the island. In January, she was involved in a heated confrontation against some foreigners after she caught a Russian teen who vandalized a school wall, but those foreigners tried to free the kid.

Other thing that Niluh criticizes are the presence of tourists who work illegally in Bali. Similarly, senior photographer Darwis Triadi also speaks out against the tourists who work illegaly in Bali and violate local rules.

Crackdowns Against Tourists

The immigration authority then finally began their crackdowns against illegal workers. Last week, they ordered the deportation to three Russian sex workers.

"According to the information from the public, there is a villa in Seminyak that had suspicious activities. Officers then came to that place and successfully raided three couples of Indonesian and foreign citizens," said the Director General of Immigration, Silmy Karim.

The three sex workers were found entering Indonesia with Single-Entry Visitor Visa and Visa on Arrival. Both are not eligible for working activities.

Separately, the immigration also deported two Russian photographers who work illegally in Indonesia, one of them is still in his 20s.

Central government supports the crackdowns to clean Bali from foreign tourists who act trashy.

"Those naughty tourists are not needed in Bali. If Bali is sullied by those naughty tourists and a lot of trash, that will ruin Bali," said the Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

Another drastic plan that the Governor of Bali made is to revoke the Visa on Arrival service for the Russians and Ukranians. The governor said there are many tourists from the two countries because of war. 

"These two countries are at war. They are not comfortable in their countries. They are massively coming to Bali, including those people who are not tourists coming to find comfort, including to work," said Governor of Bali I Wayan Koster on Sunday, reported by the state news agency Antara.

The governor has sent the request to the relevant government agency. The governor also opens the possibility that more countries could be stopped from getting the Visa on Arrival.

Ambassador of Ukraine Speaks Out

The Ambassador of Ukraine in Indonesia, Vasyl Hamianin, strongly criticizes the plan that also targets the Ukrainians. Hamianin also said he was offended that the Bali government linked Ukranians and Russians.

According to the data he received, only eight Ukranians have been deported from Indonesia since 2019. He then demands the provincial government in Bali to open the data about the crimes of the Ukranians. 

"I need statistics. If someone accuses my people, people of my country, of committing outrageous crimes in big scales, I would really ask for the statistics. I would be grateful if anyone provided it to me from the governor's office," said Ambassador Hamianin in a virtual press conference on Monday afternoon (14/3/2023).

Moreover, he said that many Ukranians in Indonesia are escaping the war, meanwhile the Russian men in Indonesia are mostly avoiding the mobilization.

"Once the bombing and shelling stop they [Ukrainians] will go home immediately. While Russians on the contrary are people who don't want to be mobilized for the Russian army, so these are men and predominantly young men going everywhere in the world," said the ambassador.

Hamianin also said he is ready to meet with the governor to discuss about this issue.

No Motorcycles

Governor of Bali also made another strict rule by banning foreign tourists from renting motorcycles in Bali, although the rental association was protesting the decision.

Some foreigners in Bali were notorious for their unruly road behaviors. In 2021, a Russian tourist threw his motorcycle into the sea. He was later deported. 

Earlier this month, an Australian woman angrily argued with the police after she was stopped for not wearing a helmet. In Indonesia, it is compulsory for motorcyclists to wear helmets for safety.