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strong>Jan. 20, p1

Dismissing outcry over the executions of five foreign nationals convicted of drug crimes, the government remains committed to applying capital punishment to the crime of drug trafficking. Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said the government demanded that countries respect Indonesia'€™s firm stance against narcotics due to the rampant spread of drug abuse in the country.

She said the government had rejected an appeal from Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who has requested clemency for two Australian citizens, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, both convicted drug traffickers. '€œI have replied to the letter and explained that Indonesian policy was about law enforcement against serious drug crimes,'€ Retno said.

Your comments:

While much of the world is headed toward abolition of the death penalty, Indonesia appears to be doubling down.

In this particular instance, I feel that Indonesia has the right idea while much of the world is in the throes of a '€œlegalize everything'€ fit of insanity.

There certainly is disparity in who receives the death penalty, so rooting out a corrupt judicial system and a double standard is essential.

However, this does not negate the reality that the death penalty not only has a 100 percent prevention rate for recidivism it is the best form of retribution (rehabilitation of inmates is a pipe dream) available.

Smurgle

The death penalty hasn'€™t been abolished in the US and what might appear to be retroactive to some isn'€™t really of any concern to the Indonesian Supreme Court'€™s agenda.

I believe it'€™s a positive step in that the Indonesian legal system can'€™t be swayed by trends from abroad. It has its own agenda, like it or not, like an oak growing against the elements and unlike a feather that can be blown in any direction.

Gamala Himsa

When you look at the death penalty in Indonesia for drugs compared to like 5 years for murder, it really looks ridiculous. Is drug trafficking worse than murder? The penal system in Indonesia seems way off.

Jbl Nor

We must not let international drug rings win.

Cedeer

I am an opponent of the death penalty but what I think should be applied (and this includes white collar criminals, in particular corruptors) would be life sentences with the chance of a parole and forced manual labor so they can give back to society what they stole from them.

IAM Groot

If the state executes someone wrongly convicted there is no chance to ever right that wrong. Executing someone might fulfill a primal urge for vengeance, but it also legitimizes taking someone'€™s life.

Pesci

There will be some sort of backlash from Australia. Tourism in Bali will take a massive hit in the short term and I suspect annual financial aid will certainly be affected.

Relations with Malaysia were severely affected for over 10 years when they hung Barlow and Chambers back in 1986 and Malaysia is an ally.

Indonesia is not even an ally so it'€™s going to be very interesting.

Tim

I am not in favor of the death penalty for multiple reasons. I would be more impressed if Indonesia cracked down on corruption. As it stands, while the harm caused by drug smugglers is immense, the Indonesian authorities positively encourage and reward corruption, especially among the elites.

However, I would be more impressed if various protesting countries were not killing their diseased and disabled, even their children (Belgium) through euthanasia. Of course, it is '€œvoluntary'€ but history shows that voluntary quickly becomes involuntary.

So I am not taking the complaints of the likes of the Netherlands too seriously and I don'€™t suggest that Indonesia does either. But the legislators could do with listening to the wishes and aspirations of the people. You know, just for a change. Try something new and see what happens.

Atom

I am happy to read that your justice system won'€™t be '€œbullied'€ by countries like Australia.  While Australian laws do not invoke the death penalty, we, the citizens, have never been afforded the opportunity to vote on this issue.  Technically, our government speaks for all Australians.

However, on the capital punishment issue, Australians of all political persuasions are not united.  

Many of us are in favor of the death penalty, especially for serious crimes, including drug smuggling.  Please don'€™t be bothered by childish tantrums and saber rattling like recalling ambassadors.  

That means nothing to '€œthe man on the street'€ here.  To the average Australian, Canberra is basically a blot on the landscape.  I know dozens of people who have never been to Canberra but have been to Bali.  

Neil Ross