

Widodo’s Desperate Executions - danso
http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/widodos-desperate-executions

======
hanief
I am an Indonesian. Although majority of the people here support death penalty
for drug trafficker, there are growing opposition to this execution on social
media.[1] However, it seems the reasons are somewhat split:

\- Some people opposed to death penalty, whatever the reasons.

\- Some agree on death penalty, but only on select case.

\- Some concerned by the law enforcement corruption. For example in the case
of Zainal Abidin, the Indonesian who get executed too, there are bureaucracy
mishaps that prevented him from getting a retrial. New Yorker mentions there
are bribe request allegations too.

On the other hand, nationalism is very big in Indonesia. When countries like
Australia confront the execution strongly, they see it as an intervention.
Moreover, you can point out that John Howard himself supported death penalty
on bali bombers.[2]

Australians should learn diplomacy from the Phillipines, who is able to save
their own Mary Jane Veloso.[3]

Ref:

[1][https://twitter.com/search?q=%23savemaryjane](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23savemaryjane)

[2][http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/metoo-policy-
mess/200...](http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/metoo-policy-
mess/2007/10/09/1191695909938.html)

[3][http://globalnation.inquirer.net/122263/indonesia-why-
aussie...](http://globalnation.inquirer.net/122263/indonesia-why-aussie-pleas-
failed-velosos-heard/)

~~~
pan69
I'm Australian. I don't think whether or not the death penalty is good or bad
is the discussion here. This is about sentencing people to death in an unfair
justice system and a president who obviously has political motives (gains) to
see these executions go ahead, regardless. I.e. corruption.

Before Widodo came to power the death sentence was rarely enforced.

~~~
hanief
Yeah, drug-trafficking and capital punishment aside, I agree on your two
points: Widodo's domestic popularity seems to be declining sharply and corrupt
justice system getting stronger. We, Indonesian, experience it first hand
sadly.

I am truly sorry for the Australian whose caught in the middle of this mess.

------
waldo504
I find it interesting that the author infers that Indonesia low drug (4% of
population), compared to higher drug use in Europe and America, should
preclude the from taking a tough stance to prevent drugs abuse from becoming
an epidemic.

On the contrary, we should applaud Indonesia for having a system that keeps
drug use at low levels.

~~~
pan69
I don't think that's what the article is about.

What I read was about a President who to eager to please a population with a
sense of national pride. Indonesia, being a former colony, has obviously a low
self esteem and only seem to be able to be ruled by some sort of iron fist
which has to show the world that they are really smart, clever and
"sovereign".

Whether or not the death penalty should have been applied and whether or not
this "cures" the drug problem is not really the discussion (I believe). That a
small group of people had to sacrifice their lives for political gain, and to
prove a point, seems to be a more interesting discussion here.

I certainly hope Widodo and his henchmen will be brought in front of an
international court to clarify themselves over this.

~~~
DominikR
"That a small group of people had to sacrifice their lives for political gain"

They didn't "sacrifice" their lives, they were drug dealers and found guilty
by the courts in Indonesia. There's nothing heroic about dying for this cause.

Furthermore it is widely known that Indonesia executes drug dealers no matter
where they happen to come from and the Australians surely have known about
this "business risk".

I'm against the death penalty but I recognize that I have no say about
Indonesian laws. This is their own sovereign decision to make. If you don't
like this then don't try to sell/import crystal meth or heroin in Indonesia.

~~~
gaelian
It is however, quite hypocritical that Indonesia has lobbied for their own
citizens to be taken off death row in other countries[1] yet they refuse the
same for foreigners in Indonesia.

I don't disagree with you that the Australians must have known the risks and
they chose to go ahead anyway, that was stupid. It is also Indonessia's
perogative to enforce their chosen laws as they see fit. But there are
political reasons why this whole situation has gone down the way it did, and
those reasons are more to do with certain Indonesian politicians wanting to
look like strong men in front of their electorates and the international
community than it is about any specifics of this case with the Australians in
particular.

1\. [http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/indonesia-got-
its-...](http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/indonesia-got-its-own-
citizens-off-death-row-but-aussie-bali-nine-duo-still-await-execution/story-
fni0cx12-1227252877434?nk=a481bd1d80ca967407b76ee2af592263)

