Time to move on, Bali bomb survivor says

9 Oct 2012, 5:15 pm   -   Source: AAP

Peter Hughes, who suffered horrific burns in the 2002 Bali bombings, says the Indonesian government should pay compensation to survivors.

A Perth man who nearly died in the 2002 Bali bombings says the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attack will be the last one he marks publicly, and he is calling on Indonesia to compensate survivors.

Peter Hughes suffered burns to more than 50 per cent of his body when a tremendous explosion ripped through Kuta's Paddy's Bar, where he was enjoying drinks with friends, on October 12 a decade ago.

He lapsed into a month-long coma and briefly died three times while on life support, then underwent a long recovery program under the care of burns specialist Fiona Wood.

Mr Hughes will attend a memorial ceremony in Bali on Friday with other survivors and bereaved relatives.

"We have a good cry," he told AAP from the Indonesian holiday island.

As important as it is to pay respects to those who died and never forget what happened, he says it's time for him to close a chapter in his life.

"From my perspective ... I'll reflect on the day somewhere, wherever I might be in the world, and leave it at that.

"It's my time to move on now."

Mr Hughes wishes the federal government would put pressure on the Indonesia to pay compensation to survivors, who did not receive travel insurance payouts because they were not covered for terrorism.

"The Indonesian government is at fault - they need to pay - not the Australian government.

"We came here for a holiday. We didn't come here for a massacre."

It would be the right thing for the Indonesian government to do, he says.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott last month repeated his call for modest compensation from the federal government for the Bali victims, saying Prime Minister Julia Gillard had pledged to "have another look at it".

If Australians were happy to pay a levy for those affected by the Queensland floods, they would probably feel the same about Bali bombing survivors, Mr Hughes says.

Though he is faring well physically, he still has to live with psychological scars.

To battle his demons and create something positive from his ordeal, he has written a book, Back from the Dead, and is in strong demand as a motivational speaker, while his not-for-profit charity organises three-day retreats for burns sufferers.

The retreats are a way to help victims recover mentally after being discharged from hospital, he says.

"When people go through a burns trauma, it's pretty horrific.

"It's my way of giving something back to the Australian people, to thank them for saving my life."

While security in Bali has improved, travellers still need to be careful, he says.

"It's a nice place, but you've got to be wary.

"These extremist people (terrorists) are at the high end of madness and they tend to pick their times, so you've just got to be careful no matter what you do.

"Ten years ago, we weren't too worried about what DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) said, and here we are."

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