Does anyone think the Bali nine are being treated too harshly by the Indonesian goverment?

Should they have learned by the example that Indonesia set of Schapelle Corby and Michelle Lesley?

I cant help but think that they had ample warning by the media beat up that surrounded those 2 cases...
Should they have known better?

I tend to think so.

OZGIRL, if you jump off a cliff one of the possible consequences is death. It might be harsh but thats reality.

The ones I feel for are the family members who will have to go through the trauma of knowing it's going to happen, the media commentary before and after the event and the wondering if they could have done something differently.

I don't relish the death of any person but it is a fate that awaits us all, what varies is the manner and timing of our passing.

What matters is how we live during the time we have.

Cheers
R0bert

RObert the law of gravity is not subject to moral questioning. I think legal and judicial systems ought to be. The Indonesian legal system is not an inanimate force: it consists of human beings trying to make rational and reasonable decisions about human problems.

Nobody I’m aware of appears to have seriously questioned that the Bali 9 were guilty of the offences they were charged with (which is different to the Shapelle Corby case, where there have been a number of credible voices suggesting she would not have been found guilty under Australian law and legal process).

But I’m deeply opposed to the death penalty for anyone, even the Bali bombers, Osama bin Laden, etc. Apart from anything else, it’s hard to understand what possible deterrent a death penalty might hold for a would be suicide bomber or those who subscribe to that insane belief system.

Cont below:

For the Indonesians, though, the perceived deterrent value of these draconian penalties for drug traffickers is more important than considerations of proportionality. Undoubtedly, being involved in heroin trafficking of these quantities is not a trivial matter, but most of these kids seem to be relatively minor players – no major players would get caught going through customs of an Asian airport with the stuff strapped to their bodies.

The relationship between Australia and Indonesia makes things even more complicated. From what I can see, former European colonies, particularly Muslim ones, get understandably prickly if not outraged about any perception of interference by Western powers in their internal affairs, including their legal system and their external boundaries. (Rumsfeld’s fantasy of US troops being greeted in Iraq with universal joy has to be one of the most insensitive and stupid predictions of this century so far). Australia’s involvement in the independence of East Timor remains a sore point among some Indonesians, and the question of West Papua is a continuing irritation. Indonesia is a very new and evolving democracy, and is a country with numerous potential fracture lines. Their government would be mad to ignore the sensitivities of its own people, and its growing narcotics problem is a major concern.

Yes, OZGIRL, they should have known better. Most of us can think of times in our own lives when we could say the same thing about our own actions. For many kids getting involved in crime is a long sequence of should-have-known-betters, each one making it harder and harder to escape, and to make the straight decision. Drugs, alienation, mental illness and lack of education make the slippery slope steeper. I’d like these kids to get another chance some day – not soon, mind you - but I feel deeply sad that it appears they won’t.

That makes a lot of sense Snout...and very fair comments...

I feel that our Government does precious little to help our people imprisoned overseas..David Hicks..thats criminal the way they let the US keep him locked up...
Its inhumane.

The death penalty for drug smuggling is too harsh by Australian standards. But, the Australians knew what the penalty was, and they still went ahead with the crime. Once again, Ozgirl, there should be no sympathy for Australian drug smugglers caught and punished in foreign countries where the crime is taken much more seriously than it is here.

Indonesia deals out the same punishment to their own citizens. Why on earth should they treat foreigners any differently?