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eb. 18, p2

The Attorney General'€™s Office (AGO) has decided to briefly postpone the executions of a group of 11 convicts on the notorious and remote prison island of Nusakambangan in Central Java due to a lack of infrastructure and a need to confirm reports that one death-row convict is mentally ill.

AGO spokesman Tony Spontana said on Tuesday that Nusakambangan prison-island management had informed the AGO that its isolation chamber could not accommodate more than five death-row convicts.

'€œThe prison management will need time to expand the capacity of the isolation chamber. That'€™s why we'€™ve delayed the transfer of the death-row convicts to Nusakambangan from this week to probably next week,'€ said Tony. '€œBut regardless of the infrastructure problem, the executions will be carried within this month,'€ he said

Your comments:

Any objective viewer of the situation can see that the Indonesian President'€™s position on the death penalty is based on a purely populist policy adopted without understanding the international and medium-term repercussions. That the use of the death penalty will have no impact on solving the drug problem is of no consequence. No doubt he thought it an easy win.

Unfortunately for him, everyone can see his position for what it is.  Hence his goal of appearing strong and decisive will not be achieved. His people will blame him for the consequences though: less tourism, aid, a lower international standing.  My suggestion to him is to think medium term. Don'€™t do what is popular just for today.  

Long TAE

Tony Spontano says '€œthe law has mandated us to carry out the executions. We just followed orders.'€ When and where have we heard this kind of nonsensical rhetoric before?

You state that the execution of each prisoner costs the Indonesian government US$16,000. You have another 11 prisoners lined up in your next '€œbatch'€.

Wouldn'€™t $176,000 be more worthwhile spent on other projects like providing decent housing for the poor, good health care, cleaning rivers and oceans of plastic and chemicals, upgrading sewer systems, removing tons of garbage lying around, eradicating rabies and dengue fever, reducing noise and air pollution, preventing landslides and providing quality education for all the islands?

It is such a shame to see large amounts of taxpayers'€™ money being squandered and going to waste on '€œcriminals'€, for if you kept them alive, the costs would surely be greatly reduced.

May L

In the case of the two Australians, the drugs were not meant for Indonesia, they were headed for Australia. In addition, it was the Australian Federal Police that tipped off Indonesia. They have not harmed any Indonesians and yet you'€™re killing them just so you can exercise your legal right.

Sentin

I would encourage Indonesia to reconsider the decision to execute the two Australians. Indonesia intends to execute the two men arrested a decade ago; but today they are not the same people, they are fully rehabilitated. You will be trying to execute two men who no longer exist.

A true justice system recognizes special circumstances, and prisoners'€™ efforts to reform. To execute these two men is not big thinking, and you will lose face. You have a legal system, but you can show that you are capable of independent thought and judgment.

A decade ago, these two men were idiots. They know that, we know it, everyone knows it; but you cannot execute every idiot on the planet; it will have no effect on drug crime.

Indonesia should not underestimate the outrage in Australia and other countries regarding these planned executions.

My Li  

These criminals are convicted drug smugglers. They deserve everything they get.  The only reason some elements of the Australian public and media are sympathetic is because Australia is a country with a very high illegal drug usage.  

I suggest Indonesia tell Australia that it should keep its drug users and traffickers out of Indonesia if it doesn'€™t want them to be subjected to Indonesia'€™s laws.  

Don'€™t give in to Australian bullying.  By the way, I am Australian and I support the death penalty for drug dealers and smugglers.   

Michael