SMS: Life sentence for flag waver

Fri, 04/11/2008 12:31 PM | Reader's Forum

The punishment is fair as we have to keep the unity of the Republic of Indonesia. Do not tolerate separatism in any action. L L BIE
Purwodadi, Central Java

In the national song, Berkibarlah Benderaku (Fly our flag), there is a statement: "Who dares to hoist down the waving flag (red and white), the people will jointly defense you." The statement is equal to: Who dare to rise any flag (except the red and white) should be treated as an enemy.

So a man who was waving the RMS flag is our enemy. So, the life sentence is fair. It will deter others from doing the same thing.
JOKO SUKISNO
Bogor, West Java

I think the punishment is fair because he has no right to wave the separatist flag. Maluku is still part of Indonesia so he must respect it. The court made a good decision by sending him to prison for life.
RIZKY DWI OKTAVIANTO
Bandung

Not at all, the man didn't harm the President, he just expressed his aspiration. Why not sentence him to a few years in jail and educate him to be a nationalist? Many former members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) who engaged in more extreme actions were granted a peaceful life. I've experienced it myself.
KOKO
Banda Aceh

I think the judges did the right thing because the man betrayed his country. So, he deserves to get more than life in prison, maybe the death sentence.
ARI FAJRIA NOVARI
Bandung

Nothing is fair in Indonesia. I pity the stupid poor guy. If he was a rich corruptor, he would have got a good lawyer and shot the judge if he had too. He would have got five years in prison only.
ANDY
Depok, West Java

Sentenced for life in prison only for waving a South Maluku Republic flag before President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is too much.

Please tell the President that there are so many people in the House of Representatives and in his Cabinet who deserve life in prison for corruption. Also, ask the President to open his eyes and ears that our country will develop well like China if we manage to prevent government officials from practicing corruption.

And please don't sentence this man to life only because of this very, very small matter.
KUSNO DARMAWAN
Jakarta

Life imprisonment is totally unfair. In Indonesia a chicken thief is beaten to death whereas corrupt people go untouched. A petty thief transferring a few liters of diesel from car for industrial use is fined millions or put behind bars for a few years, whereas a smuggler/hoarder siphoning millions of liters of diesel goes unnoticed.

Just expressing his personal opinion by waving a flag without harming anybody doesn't mean a crime.
MURTHY
Jakarta

I feel so sorry for the South Maluku man. This is the type of incident of a cruel dictatorship. The man was simply expressing his belief. Indonesia just created a prisoner of conscience.
R. DEWIT
Jakarta

I think the Maluku flag waver should be given a job working for the police in Bali flagging in tourist drivers into police boxes for easier extortion.
MICHAEL
Tofino BC, Canada

Almost equal to capital punishment, the life sentence for a separatist flag waving person must be reviewed. If necessary, the section of law which was used by the judiciary must be revised to avoid such judgments. It is really ridiculous to deem such incidents as crimes. Hope our House of Representatives intervenes in this matter.
BADRI
Jakarta

Life imprisonment for waving a flag in front of the President is draconian and inhumane. Why are we so insecure that we have to overreact like this.

The man disrupted the peace, he also showed support for a secessionist movement by waving a flag. He gets a sentence on a par of fanatic terrorists who bombed and murdered hundreds. What's next? Twenty years for suggesting the government hasn't got bird flu under control?
RIO HELMI
Ubud, Bali

A man waving a flag who does not harm anyone gets a life sentence, while others who kill people, like our beloved Tommy, run free after a couple of years. How do you think the world is looking at this kind of "justice"?
AL
Kuta, Bali

Sleeping in front of the President is worse than waving a flag, he might have had violent dreams. He also deserves life in prison.
HERMANN
Bogor, West Java

He is a dangerous person. If he is just sentenced to life in prison, one day he will get freedom. He should get the death sentence.
ANITA
Bandung

Should be sentenced to death.
ANDI
Makassar

You journalists write that a life sentence for a man waving an RMS flag in front of the President is too much. But you never care about the struggle to separate Maluku from Indonesia. We do not want Maluku to become the second East Timor.
MARIA
Jakarta

Life sentence for waving a flag in front of SBY is fair. We need to take tough measures against separatists. Human rights is a tricky issue.
ABDUL MUIS MADKHAN
Tangerang, Banten

Such an action is categorized as treason. Sending him to prison for life is very fair. Our country's stability, safety and integrity is everything, isn't it?
MEITY KARLINA
Bandung

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