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Australia Can Adopt Any Diplomatic Measures to Oppose Death Penalty
Australia Can Adopt Any Diplomatic Measures to Oppose Death Penalty
JAKARTA ~
The Australian government can do anything diplomatically to express opposition to the death penalty granted to drug traffickers, but Indonesia will proceed with its law enforcement process, stated Indonesian Ambassador to Australia Nadjib Rifat Kesuma.
The statement was made by Ambassador Kesuma here on Monday with regard to the clemency pleas of two Australian drug trafficking convicts, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, which were rejected by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and the Australian government’s response to the situation.
“I do not know whether they (the Australian government) will recall their ambassador in Indonesia or not. But, diplomatically, they can do anything to express if they are unhappy,” noted Kesuma.
Ambassador Kesuma, who is visiting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to attend the Indonesian Representatives’ Work Meeting on Feb 2-5, 2015, stated that the response of the Australian government is technically acceptable as all governments must try their best to defend their nationals.
“The reaction of the government (of Australia), of course, wherever they are, they try to make the situation better. They tried to talk to me if there is still anything they can do to change the last verdict, so I tell them everything has been executed, and this is the situation now,” he explained.
Moreover, President Jokowi has stated that no mercy will be shown to drug dealers and drug traffickers, considering the impact on the Indonesian people, particularly the youth.
Regarding the diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Australia, Kesuma noted that the two countries have gone through so many challenges that have affected the relations between the two neighboring nations, and hence, the death penalty would not cause any friction.
Kesuma also spoke about a poll conducted by Roy Morgan that shows 52 percent of Australians agree that drug traffickers convicted in another country and sentenced to death should be executed.
“We can say that 52 percent of Australians are supporting Indonesia’s position,” he said.
However, Kesuma added that the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra also received more than a hundred letters from the civil society’s lawyers to protest and express their rejection or disappointment on the death penalty awarded to the two Australian nationals.
According to the Roy Morgan’s poll, 52 percent people support the death penalty given for drug trafficking and 48 percent do not agree.
About 62 percent of Australians said the Australian Government should not take any further steps to stop the execution of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, while 38 percent say that the Australian Government should do more to stop the execution.
The poll was conducted on a cross-section of 2,123 Australians over the last few days, on January 23-27, 2015.
15 Comments
I am one of the 52 percent of Australians who understand Indonesias reasons. I do think they are getting in wrong and wasting an opportunity. II think instead , they should offer leniency for giving information that leads to the arrest of those who supplied them, When those people are arrested they can do the same as well, until the people who are the masterminds are too scared to export to Indonesia. Also, those who die can never be a help to police later.
I know Australians visiting Bali contribute much income for Indonesia, but Bali does not mean the route to smuggle drugs to and from the country.
As we are good and close neighbors, we should respect with each other. Australia should be aware that Indonesia is in emergency due to drugs now. Millions are hospitalized a year and tens are death per day.
David, 52% was only 2,000 people interviewed for the poll, hardly a representation of 23 million. l believe the question asked was framed to inspire a certain answer from the people questioned.
l do not believe in execution. l think it is murder.
This is subject to the politics of countries and the powers/people in control, they are not god.
This is from Fairfax Australia today
“Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop is calling on the Indonesian government to show the same mercy to the condemned Bali Nine pair as it is pursuing for Indonesian drug felons facing execution overseas.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has instructed that “optimum protection” be offered to 229 Indonesian citizens sentenced to death overseas – including those charged with drug offences – while in the same breath vowing to execute drug smugglers in Indonesia.
At a Muslim conference on Wednesday, Mr Joko said he would not be swayed by international pressure to stop the executions scheduled this month.
“We carry out death sentences because it is still the law. Secondly … 18,000 people die due to drugs every year. This cannot be continued. It can’t be,” he said.
But as the families of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran begged the government to spare their sons, Mr Joko reportedly instructed officials to do all they could for Indonesians facing the death penalty in countries such as Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.
This included hiring professional lawyers to defend them, holding meetings with family members and seeking amnesty from the heads of states or victims’ families.
“Australia’s efforts to seek a stay of execution and a reconsideration of the clemency bids of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are consistent with the Indonesian government’s own efforts on behalf of its death row prisoners overseas,” Ms Bishop said.
“I call on the Indonesian government to offer the same mercy to Australian citizens it is pursuing for its own nationals, including those convicted of drug offences.”
The Foreign Affairs Minister will introduce a parliamentary motion on the issue on Thursday.
The 229 Indonesian citizens on death row, whom Mr Joko has vowed to do his utmost to protect, have been sentenced to death for murder and drug charges.
The Indonesian government last year negotiated to pay “blood money” to save the life of an Indonesian domestic worker charged with the murder of her employer in Saudi Arabia.
Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said on Tuesday that Mr Joko had instructed officials to give “optimum protection and attention” to death row convicts overseas.”
I do not condone the death penalty. It is barbaric and quite simply murder. One crime should not be replaced by another. My family and I have loved Bali and it’s people for many years and travel to this beautiful country, sometimes up to twice a year with our young family. Unfortunately, if these executions go ahead, we will be finding another holiday destination and have just cancelled our September trip to Bali. We cannot condone young Australians who time and time again have proved they have been rehabilitated and are now wanting to pay for their crime by spending the rest of their lives in jail and giving back to others in need. This is rehabilitation at its best. Yes, they have definately done wrong and drugs are evil, but Indonesia is using the wrong subjects in this case, to prove a point.
Mr Kesuma this time its different its really affecting the Australian people who will vote with their tourist dollars.
Having just returned from Bali at low season I feel for the people of Bali who are already feeling the effect of government travel warnings to Bali because of potential terrorist activity this will be detrimental to Bali Tourism in the extreme
I lost a nephew to drugs in 2008 – My brother hasn’t been the same since. There was a time immediately after his death and for some years , i would condone execution of those trafficking hard drugs.
And even today i understand and respect Indonesia’s Position.
That being said , i need to also include the observation that these two men deserve consideration for a commuted life sentence , where it seems they are reformed and doing good.
Executing them is an evil act if indeed they are now a force for good, and no longer an evil person, at least in many eyes.
Your survey question was not about them- you will find most Australians want them spared.
In fact, it goes deeper.
This year we are meant to give your country 651 Million AUD in Aid –
We also holiday there in the Millions -*(over a million last year)
You must realise that the budget of our own economy calls for cuts.
Guess where they will be if you execute these men?
Imagine how many Liberal thinkers will infect change their destination to Thailand ?
I say this not as a threatening Australian – but as an observer(in the know)
Killing these men will cost you over a billion dollars over a few years-
And i am sure it will tarnish the relationship.
Should a Tsunami hit i doubt the Average Australian will in future donate a hundred dollars as i did.
So do the right thing and spare them –
Give them a life sentence – even cane them too if needs be.
But have the respect for us to show mercy-
Or your Nation might in the future drift away from its current position as Friend.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott stated today that millions of Australians are very distraught at the Indonesians Governments executions inclusive of 2 Australian citizens.
I travel to Bali each year and have done so for the past 40 years. The drug problem in Indonesia will not be solved by executing people as time has already shown this, with the problem continuing to get worse. The route of the drug problem remains due to the corruption of Police, some Government officials and a legal system one can only describe as a farce. When you have law enforcement officers and members of the legal system procuring large sums of money to turn a blind eye or reduce sentences for drug matters then the drug trade will flourish. It has been this way in Bali for as long as I can remember and still continues to this day. And what can be said of the prison system that allows drugs to be sold, manufactured and distributed by prisoners and guards. The main cause of the drug problem in Indonesia is CORRUPTION and until you deal with this problem then it can only be said that the Government condones the illegal importation, supply and distribution of drugs. The new president of Indonesia stance on the drug problem and the death penalty shows he no real idea of how to solve the narcotics industry within his country.
I travel to Bali each year and have done so for the past 40 years. The drug problem in Indonesia will not be solved by executing people as time has already shown this, with the problem continuing to get worse. The route of the drug problem remains due to the corruption of Police, some Government officials and a legal system one can only describe as a farce. When you have law enforcement officers and members of the legal system procuring large sums of money to turn a blind eye or reduce sentences for drug matters then the drug trade will flourish. It has been this way in Bali for as long as I can remember and still continues to this day. And what can be said of the prison system that allows drugs to be sold, manufactured and distributed by prisoners and guards. The main cause of the drug problem in Indonesia is CORRUPTION and until you deal with this problem then it can only be said that the Government condones the illegal importation, supply and distribution of drugs. The new president of Indonesia stance on the drug problem and the death penalty shows he no real idea of how to solve the narcotics industry within his country.
Indonesia should go and do right think first …read their constitution ..ANYONE FOR THEIR CRIME SPEND MORE THAN 10 years hence if death penalty is impose will be change to lLIFE IN PRISON….
Am afraid that Kasuma is very misinformed by this poll that was taken by only a mere 2,123 young people. That is a minute fraction of the Australian people.
The majority here are sickened and appalled that our nationals are to be executed. President Joko Widodo has not taken i to consideration the successful rehabilitation of Mayuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan. They have lifted the spirits of prisoners in Kerobokan Prison by instigating Art classes. They have had their paintings sold and put the money back into the program and the jail. Because of these boys a new kitchen has been built. They now take a fervent anti drug stance and are helping also to rehabilitate those prisoners so they will not make the same mistakes when they leave jail. Their value to the fight against drugs and crime has been commended.
To execute these men is pointless after turning their lives around. It will not solve your drug problem. They did NOT bring drugs into your country. The fact is they were taking Indonesian drugs OUT of Bali. Even so they were wrong and have been repentant.
Also it is a misconception that Australians will not boycott Bali.
As I have seen hundreds of comments from people that will not ever think of going to Bali again
good for you Indonesia,
the poll conducted, does not reflect the true feelings of the majority of Australians. We oppose the death sentence.
The financial ramifications for Indonesia are huge, not just from Australia, but many other countries, opposed to the death sentence.
I feel that I just have to write on this issue, which has surely touched the hearts of so many.
I am not condoning drug trafficking and I agree that these people are criminals, but the overreaction of the Indonesian authorities is frightening.
Firstly, they say that these people are mass murderers. I cannot agree with that. They are just after a bit of money, without bearing a thought about the people that they may harm. There are thousands of farmers around the world who use illegal substances on their cattle and animals to increase profitability without a second thought about the harm these substances do to the consumers. The same can be applied to substances used on crops, harming people in the process. Then we have the people selling alcohol, throughout the world. Alcohol can kill – should all retailers and bar owners be executed?
Should all these people be executed? Of course not – it is ludicrous.
They say that they are the carriers of tools of death, well, what about the manufacturers of guns, of knives, of systems of torture, of gunpowder, or people who teach others martial arts, or boxing, or film producers that publicise and glorify violence and violent pornography. Should all these people be executed for producing tools of violence and harm. Or the people who provoke wars, unjust and violent wars, world leaders, should they all be executed. I am sorry but their logic is without foundation and foolish. For people with such high intelligence, their pattern of thought confounds me.
And then we come to my final point. These people have a product for sale that happens to be illegal. No-one forces the consumers to buy drugs and I could ask what kind of a society is so lacking in hope and positivity that its people have to turn to drugs to escape the poverty and despair prevailing in their and your society. That is the surely fault of the leaders.
I am tempted to say that international arrest warrants should be put on the heads of the Indonesians involved in the murders of these young people. At the very least you have to question the mental state of someone who advocates this macabre ritual of death. Joko Widodo and his cronies are just not right in the head. No normal human being would propose such loathsome treatment. Even Kim Jong-Un wouldn’t go that far with foreigners.
The Death Penalty we are fighting a never ending battle to stop the executions all I can say is that by all means visit these countries that are beautiful in nature with the hidden dangers but don’t give these countries that are trigger happy the ammunition to send one to death its simple just takes these steps fly economy class,first class or even business class but just ensure when you leave a country that has the Death Penalty that you don’t return back to your hone in the Coffin Class