At the request of my lovely wife, I'm using the global forum that is the internet to say the following:
She (and I) would encourage every Australian, and indeed every human, to boycott tourist travel to Indonesia in response to the sentencing of Schapelle Corby today. Obviously the Indonesian justice system does not work in a way that could be considered "fair" or "just", as it seems to me there is an abundance of evidence that doesn't necessarily assure her innocence completely, but definitely eliminates any possibility of definite guilt.
(Oh but that's right - they actually said that they took none of her evidence of innocence into account when making the verdict. So I guess once you ignore all the evidence to the contrary, guilt is the only option.)
A country that functions on this level shouldn't be supported by the input of money from Australia. I can't pretend to think that I could have any input into government process, but if I could, I would also suggest we make a statement of disapproval through the restriction or boycott of trade with the country until they agree to allow all Australian prisoners, future and past, to be tried and sentenced in Australia. We are a country who have decided we disapprove of the death penalty, but yet we will allow another country to serve that penalty to our people. Do you think the other Australian drug smugglers caught in Indonesia will get any less? I think not.
So basically, Indonesia is the country where you can get 20 years for being suspected of smuggling drugs. If you are definitely guilty, then you get shot. Not a place I want to go, and I encourage anyone reading to publicly hold a similar stance. Maybe if enough people go "this simply isn't on", then someone important will take a bit of notice.
I'm considering making a site under some domain name like "visitbali.com" or something and trying to get some support for people boycotting travel to Indonesia by people who think that 20 years for someone who has shown pretty clearly there's a good chance they're completely innocent of smuggling drugs is just not on. Personally, I think killing people who are drug smugglers is not on either, and they're quite happy to do that too.
OK, enough politics. I've said my peace. Enjoy your weekend.
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4 comments:
I was just listening to Stan Zemanick on 2UE and a listener rang in and suggested that the public (or Govt.) get together and set up a public fund where people can donate money. When it reaches a certain amount, say 1 million dollars, then the money could be offered to the person/s who offer information for the successful arrest of the person who planted the drugs. The caller stated that "$1 million is enough to make anybody dob in his mate". I think this is a good idea and I'm guessing is similar to how the police work in setting up money for the conviction of a murderer or other such uncaught person. I think this is a good idea in theory but have no idea about how to initate it...
justin i completely agree with what you had to say about her case. i was so shocked to see such an innocent person get such a tough sentence especially when she was clearly not guilty. if she were guilty then she would not have been so upset each time when she was in court.I am one to also agree with the idea of boycotting any travel to indonesia, they dont deserve such financial backing from our country when they want to go and treat our people the way they do.I think that schappelle needs our prayers, as a news presenter was to quote that she was praying for a miracle and that she clearly did not recieve it today. but God can still give her that if we as fellow christians can pray on her behalf. i am saddened that this young girl no longer gets the chance to have a family or get married as they have stolen whats left of her life and thrown it into prison.she will be 47 when shes released and the chances of becoming a mother have gone out the window. as a fellow mother i think that that is very unfair.I pray hard that she will be released soon rather then in 20 yrs. if God can allow his discipiles to endure prison and have them miraculasly released then he can and he will release schappelle.
Grant - I agree regarding the asylum seekers. It's not right that they are locked up indefinatley. Some major reform needs to take place there.
Also, you are right when you say that the onus is on the defendant in the Indonesian legal system - but therein lies my argument. Under that system, a policeman could walk up to me in the street, and hand me a bag of drugs. No one sees it happen, and he accuses me of guilt. I'm guilty, and I'll die for it, as there is no one to back up my claim of innocence. How is that fair or just? It's not. I take exception with the Indonesian legal system more then I say "Schapelle is innocent". She might not be, who knows? But she was sent to jail as a result of an unfair trial. That's my problem.
I heard on triple j last night about Chika Honda (do a google search) who was a similar case in many ways to the Schappelle Corby case, except this time it was Australia's legal system that was unbending, and Japan that was outraged at the verdict. She and three other tourists were convicted of smuggling drugs that she says were planted in her luggage. There were many problems with the way that the police and the legal system handled the case. She spent ten years in an australian jail. The point is that no legal system is perfect. However, from what little impressions I have gleaned about the indonesian legal system I'd say it is far worse than ours. I would guess that Australian courts tend to be more lenient, meaning less innocent people are convicted but probably also more guilty people get away with it.
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