T

he imposition of the death penalty is a final solution to a perceived problem. It is not a civilized deterrent but a remnant of the dark ages, where some supposedly civilized countries are looking to for guidance.  

It'€™s a pity that in Indonesia the death penalty is so easily utilized and promoted as a deterrent to crime. In Indonesia, some members of the police and military are deeply involved at the highest levels in the running of prostitution and drug cartels and have the money and power to ensure that the justice system is anything but just. Indonesia, where courts pretend to be blind to the millions of dollars of unexplainable funds in the bank accounts of powerful figures.

The death penalty does not deter crime or encourage those at the top to give up their criminal ways. It only makes them more determined to hold onto power.

It is one way for the rich and powerful to legally get rid of people who might otherwise be inconvenient witnesses in any truly independent investigation of their activities.  

The people who are executed in Indonesia are without fail the poorest and some of the most vulnerable people in our society. They are those that are least able to defend themselves.

The decision of the Supreme Court to reject the appeal of Mary Jane Veloso is disgraceful, particularly given the way the original investigation was carried out and the manner in which she was hurried through Indonesia'€™s court system toward her imminent execution. It might otherwise be described as murder.

Doug Winfield
Singapore