Following an altercation with Bali pecalang (traditional Balinese guards) on Wednesday at Purnama Beach in Sukawati, Gianyar, Bali, over violating the prohibition of Nyepi, Bali day of silence, two nomadic Polish nationals will be deported. When the pecalan g checked the area at 9.30 a.m. on Wednesday, Karol Grabinski, 39, and Barbara Karina Walczak, 24, were discovered having their meals on the seashore at a bale bengong (open-air timber hut). A tiny camping shelter was affixed to the bale bengong as their place to stay the night.
The pecalang informed them that because it was Nyepi, no one should remain outside or be in a public place. Social media users shared the footage of the Polish pair yelling at the pecalang. The pecalang and the two foreigners can be seen arguing in the footage. They claim that everyone has the right to be on the beach, and if no one is permitted to be in public, the pecalang should not be there either. The event was reported to the neighborhood authorities by Sukawati village officials.
Denpasar Immigration accused Polish nationals of violating Article 75, line 1, of Law No. 6/2011 on Immigration by Denpasar Immigration. According to the piece, immigration officials have the authority to take action against foreign nationals who engage in risky activities or are logically accused of endangering security and public order and breaking the rules and regulations.
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The couple was brought immediately to Sukawati Police Station after the complaint was made, according to a spokesperson for the Bali Police, Sr. Comr. Stefanus Satake Bayu Setianto. The two Polish claimed to know that it was Nyepi but maintained that their seaside activities would not interfere with the celebration.
Grabinski and Walczack informed the officers that they were travelling to Padangbai Harbour to board a boat for West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), according to Stefanus’s statement on Thursday. They intended to travel to Australia from NTB.
The two Polish claimed they had no other place to stay and had set up a shelter there. “They claimed they were too far from the residential area,” he explained.
Stefanus declared, “We have turned them over to the Denpasar Immigration Office.”
The head of the immigration office in Denpasar, Tedy Riyadi, verified that the two Polish nationals had been brought to the facility by Thursday morning. “Of course, we will deport them. We are currently working together with the Polish embassy,” he declared.
Only emergency cars are permitted on the roadways during Nyepi, the Caka Lunar New Year. Except in specific public buildings like hospitals and police offices, lights are off at night. Hotels can switch on minimal lighting and restrict visitors to hotel areas. All public gathering places are closed, including marketplaces, stores, workplaces, cafes, clubs, and restaurants.
All kinds of home entertainment, including television, radio, and the internet, are prohibited on the island during Nyepi. Hindus in Bali are forbidden from engaging in several activities during Nyepi. The primary four commandments are: amati geni (do not start fires), amati karya (do not work), amati lelungan (do not leave the family property), and amati lelanguan. (abstain from enjoying entertainment).
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