English.news.cn,
Matt Walsh, 2015-04-29
Bodies of executed Australian drug smugglers return home from Indonesia http://t.co/G3fyqmQU1s (AFP file pic) pic.twitter.com/7oqgWQoGrr
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) 2 mei 2015
CANBERRA,
April 29 (Xinhua) -- The execution in Bali on Wednesday morning of Australian
drug-smuggling pair Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran brings to a close one of
the most hotly- debated social justice issues in recent Australian media.
Detained in
Denpasar attempting to smuggle heroin back into Australia ten years ago, the
pair's case developed into a cause celebre as time went on, dominating media
coverage when any snippet of news - positive or otherwise - emerged out of
Kerobokan jail.
The pair
was sentenced to death in 2006 for attempting to smuggle eight kilograms of
heroin out of Bali.
While their
cause received muted support initially, campaigning efforts were stepped up
markedly when it became apparent they were not just repentant but actively trying
to improve their lives in prison.
And when,
in February, Indonesian authorities signed papers approving the pair's move to
Nusakambangan Island, where death-row prisoners are sent for execution, the
campaign for clemency in Australia went into overdrive.
Political
figures began to plead with new Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his
administration. Widodo dismissed any protests from Australian government
officials, signaling that the death penalty in Indonesia was "still the
law" and there would be no amnesty for the Australians.
But
relentless bipartisan support was thrown behind the pair, and the Australian
press was persistent in its efforts to secure a reprieve for Chan and
Sukumaran. Television current affairs programs made much of their efforts at
rehabilitation while inside prison.
Australia's
Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop worked tirelessly to persuade the
Indonesian government for leniency. Prime Minister Tony Abbott labeled the
decision to carry out the executions as "revolting" and publicly
stated that "millions of Australians are sick to their guts" as the
end drew closer for Chan and Sukumaran. There were veiled threats that
Australians would boycott Bali as a tourist destination.
Deputy
Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek even gave an emotional speech in Australian
parliament in March, detailing the personal experience of her husband - who was
convicted of drug smuggling - touching on what might have become of her family
had he been caught somewhere else.
The case of
the Bali nine duo was as momentous as it was perplexing in Australia. The
public increasingly came to believe these convicted drug smugglers, the sort of
people Australians seldom had sympathy for, had redeemed themselves.
The men had
spent a decade inside a Balinese prison, where they had taken huge steps
towards total rehabilitation.
Chan led
English classes for fellow inmates, and was ordained as a pastor and held
church services in prison. He also attained a theology degree after studying while
incarcerated.
Sukumaran
became an established artist and was a holder of a fine arts degree. He was
tutored inside Kerobokan by well-known Australian artist Ben Quilty, a former
Archibald Prize winner, and his works began to win widespread acclaim.
Both men
were described as model people and mentors to other inmates. The governor of
the prison even testified in court try and ensure their release from death row.
They were held up as a glowing example of the redemptive powers of the prison
system.
The
Australian people will never know what could have become of the men had they
been given another ten years to rehabilitate.
Some of the
blame for their predicament has been aimed squarely at the Australian Federal
Police (AFP). The law enforcement agency made the decision to alert Indonesian
authorities to the drug smuggling ring instead of waiting for the group to
return to Australia.
The offense
carries the death penalty in Indonesia and many other countries, but Australia
outlawed capital punishment decades ago. The last man hanged in Australia was
in 1967.
AFP
Commissioner Mick Keelty faced criticism for the decision not to let the group
return to Australia to be tried and convicted on Australian soil, where the
maximum penalty for any crime is life imprisonment.
In the days
leading up to the pair's execution, it wasn't just public vigils and
politicians' pleas that surfaced in the media. World-renowned actors took to
social media to urge the government to take stronger action.
Geoffrey
Rush, Guy Pearce, Deborah Mailman, Joel Edgerton and Tasma Walton were among
the throng of local celebrities that called upon Tony Abbott to do more. Actor
Brendan Cowell told Abbott to "man up."
Of course
there are different voices. One netizen tweeted the ABC saying that Australian
media have made heroes if these two convicted criminals.
But all
efforts were rendered futile on Wednesday when the Indonesian government
finally carried out the executions.
Poignantly,
the shots fired at 4 am on April 29 which killed Andrew Chan and Myuran
Sukumaran, only breathed further life into debate surrounding of one of the
most gripping social justice issues in recent Australian history.
The
opposition's Finance Minister, Tony Burke, tweeted four words after the grim
news from Indonesia: "Lives lost. Nothing gained."
And that
seemed to reflect the prevailing, somber public mood in Australia on Wednesday
morning.
Editor: ying
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