Bali’s big run club controversy was all over social media and the topic of discussion in every coffee house in Bali over the weekend. The story has even hit international headlines. For those who are not up to speed, here’s everything. You need to know about the saga.
The drama has not only ended up hitting international headlines but also resulted in deportations. The Directorate General of Immigration has taken a serious no-tolerance approach to the organisers of the Entourage Bali Run Club, a silent disco run held in Canggu last week.
The event, marked for digital nomads only, hit international headlines when local Balinese and Indonesian participants were blocked from getting tickets. This triggered a huge backlash online, and added to growing frustrations from the community in Canggu who have had road access impacted by the event time after time over the last few months.
Speaking to reporters, the Director General of Immigration, Hendarsam Marantoko, said that the two organisers of the event were shifted, deported, and blacklisted from Indonesia after violating potentially dozens of regulations and holding an event rife with discrimination against local residents.
He told reporters, “The running event is a form of state within a state. Currently, the foreign nationals involved are known to be outside of Indonesia, and Immigration has imposed bans on them. I have ordered Bali Immigration officials to check the event organizer, if there are any foreign nationals.”
He confirmed, “Currently we have included both of them in the travel ban list.” As a follow-up, the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office is currently in the process of summoning the guarantor or sponsor of the two nationals. This is something that Immigration does not usually make a mention of, but is important to note.
This means that Indonesian Immigration is not only cracking down on foreigners who violate the conditions of their visas but also cracking down on visa sponsors, including visa agents with shelf companies, who facilitate those who seek to break the law while in the country.
Marantoko told reporters, “If the guarantor or sponsor violates immigration regulations, we will process them according to the provisions.”
Adding, “Every legal protection and service we provide is based on the principle of Immigration for the People, which means the state’s presence through its immigration function must always guarantee justice, public order, and the comfort of the people within the country from all forms of lawless foreign actions.”
Entourage Bali Run Club has spoken out about the situation and confirmed that the event was not discriminatory against local people, citing that the majority of participants had Indonesian phone numbers and that the event was designed for international digital nomads to connect with one another, alongside the local community.
Even the Acting Head of the Public Relations Sub-division of the Badung Police, Aiptu Ni Nyoman Ayu, told reporters, “The event was held using an early registration or RSVP system. There were around 200 participants, and it took place from 5:30 to 6:30 WITA.”
Adding “There is no prohibition against Indonesian citizens participating in the Silent Disco Run. Indeed, the majority of participants in the event are foreign nationals.” And “All running communities, including Entourage Bali, have never restricted or banned participants from certain countries.”
The situation has triggered a response from community organisers and event organisers all around the island, but especially in Canggu and Uluwatu where run clubs and community running events have become increasingly popular. Many of the island’s biggest community running events have been temporarily halted this week as organisers look to find new ways to operate, while ensuring respect for local residents and inclusion for all.
Run clubs in iconic destinations in Bali have become hugely popular over the last two years, and have even been used by the Bali Provincial Government and Provincial Tours Board as a marketing tool.
The situation with Entourage Bali Run Club has shone a spotlight on the increasingly difficult balance between inclusivity and large-scale events that promote community and the island’s tourism sector, and the needs of local people, immigration law and the island’s fragile landscape.
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