Drug traffickers executed, sparks anger from Australia, Brazil
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An Indonesian firing squad executed eight drug traffickers, including seven foreigners, in the early hours of Wednesday, sparking condemnation from Australia and Brazil who had made final,desperate pleas to save their nationals.
The mass execution cements the hard line on enforcing thedeath penalty adopted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo whenhe came to office last July, damaging diplomatic relations withseveral countries.
Australians Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan were shot alongwith four Nigerians, a Brazilian and an Indonesian in a forestclearing near the prison, as family members held a candle-lightvigil within earshot of the firing range.
"All eight were executed at the same second at 0035 hours,"Indonesian Attorney General H.M. Prasetyo told reporters on theprison island of Nusakambangan in Central Java.
One prisoner was spared at the last minute. Philippineshousemaid Mary Jane Veloso, who was arrested in 2010 after shearrived in Indonesia with 2.6 kg of heroin, was withdrawn fromthe group after a request from Manila. The Indonesian AttorneyGeneral's Office said Veloso would be permitted to give evidenceafter a woman suspected of planting the drugs gave herself up topolice in the Philippines on Tuesday.
Both Australia and Brazil oppose capital punishment and haverailed against Widodo's move to step up the pace of executions,after a five-year moratorium, since coming to office last July.
Australians Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan were shot alongwith four Nigerians, a Brazilian and an Indonesian in a forestclearing near the prison, as family members held a candle-lightvigil within earshot of the firing range.
"All eight were executed at the same second at 0035 hours,"Indonesian Attorney General H.M. Prasetyo told reporters on theprison island of Nusakambangan in Central Java.
One prisoner was spared at the last minute. Philippineshousemaid Mary Jane Veloso, who was arrested in 2010 after shearrived in Indonesia with 2.6 kg of heroin, was withdrawn fromthe group after a request from Manila. The Indonesian AttorneyGeneral's Office said Veloso would be permitted to give evidenceafter a woman suspected of planting the drugs gave herself up topolice in the Philippines on Tuesday.
Both Australia and Brazil oppose capital punishment and haverailed against Widodo's move to step up the pace of executions,after a five-year moratorium, since coming to office last July.
Australia said it was recalling its ambassador to Jakarta, astep already taken by Brazil over the execution of anotherprisoner in January. The south American country is nowconsidering what further action it will take.
Australia has deep commercial and political ties with itsbig neighbour, but has said the executions would not impacttrade relations. Brazil, too, will be wary of jeopardisingvaluable defence contracts.
The United Nations described the executions as "extremelyregrettable, extremely sad" and reiterated its appeal forIndonesia to reinstate its moratorium on the death penalty.
Widodo's steadfastness on the executions, which has strongpublic support at home, stands in contrast to a series of policyflip-flops since he took office six months ago. Palace insidersand government officials portray him as sometimes out of hisdepth and struggling to get around entrenched vested interests.
DIGNITY
Charlie Burrows, religious counsellor to the Brazilianconvict who was with the prisoners before the execution, saidall eight had refused blindfolds before they were shot.
Charlie Burrows, religious counsellor to the Brazilianconvict who was with the prisoners before the execution, saidall eight had refused blindfolds before they were shot.
Australian media reports said the men were all singing whenthey were executed near the prison.
Their families lit a candle as they watched the processionof cars taking the prisoners to the execution site, the SydneyMorning Herald reported, adding many became hysterical whengunshots rang out a short time later.
Rob Buckingham, the husband of Chan's spiritual adviserChristie Buckingham, said his wife had texted him to say thegroup met their deaths with dignity. "She told me the eight ofthem walked out onto the killing field singing songs of praise,"Buckingham told 3AW radio.
Rob Buckingham, the husband of Chan's spiritual adviserChristie Buckingham, said his wife had texted him to say thegroup met their deaths with dignity. "She told me the eight ofthem walked out onto the killing field singing songs of praise,"Buckingham told 3AW radio.
The families of Chan and Sukumaran released a statementearly on Wednesday referring to the Australian government'sclaim the pair had been fully reformed since being arrested overa plot to smuggle heroin out of Indonesia in 2005.
"In the 10 years since they were arrested, they did all theycould to make amends, helping many others," the statement said.
MILITARY DEAL AT RISK
MILITARY DEAL AT RISK
Recalling an ambassador is a step rarely taken by Australia,and never previously taken over a prisoner execution.
Still, Abbott's comments, while condemning the executions as"cruel and unnecessary" were more circumspect than those of manyother Australians who expressed their outrage on twitter andother social media.
The hashtag #boycottIndonesia was trending, even as Abbottcautioned against a trade or tourism backlash.
"We respect Indonesia's sovereignty but we do deplore what'sbeen done and this cannot be simply business as usual," PrimeMinister Tony Abbott told reporters in Canberra.
"I want to stress that this is a very important relationshipbetween Australia and Indonesia but it has suffered as a resultof what's been done over the last few hours."
While critical, Brazil, which has a $5 billion trade surpluswith Southeast Asia's biggest economy, will also be wary oflosing a major military export deal to Indonesia over theexecutions row.
While critical, Brazil, which has a $5 billion trade surpluswith Southeast Asia's biggest economy, will also be wary oflosing a major military export deal to Indonesia over theexecutions row.
The Brazilian government said in a statement it was shockedby the news, which marked the second execution of a Brazilian inIndonesia in three months despite President Dilma Rousseff'spersonal humanitarian appeals.
Brazil's foreign ministry said it was evaluating ties withIndonesia before deciding what action to take.
Indonesia said earlier it was reviewing the purchase of asecond batch of Brazil-made Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucanoaircraft and an order for multiple rocket launch systems afterBrazil refused to allow Indonesia's new ambassador to take partin a credentials ceremony.
