I’ve little sympathy for the Bali Nine directly, other than the usual human concern for them. They knew what they were doing when they tried to smuggle drugs out of Indonesia. They knew the penalties included a death sentence and were prepared to take the risk. They lost.
On the other hand I have tremendous sympathy for the parents of Scott Rush, one of the Nine sentenced to death. The parents of the others haven’t made as much of a media splash as the Rush’s have and perhaps this is why their plight seems so much worse. Or maybe it’s that Scott was only 19 when he was arrested in Bali in 2005. It’s hard to say.
I can only imagine the heartache they must be suffering with their son in the clutches of a government not known to give clemency to drug smugglers and whose penalties for the crime are so extreme. It’s a tough enough job bringing kids up without this sort of pressure on the horizon.
No doubt they imagined him to be an ordinary larrikin sort of kid who’d settle down, marry and produce a few grandchildren eventually. The idea he’d either die in front of a firing squad or, if he was *lucky*, spend the rest of his life rotting in a Bali jail, probably never impinged on their consciousness, nor should it have. It’s all such a sad situation and such a waste of his and their lives… and of course their resources as they battle for his life though the court system.
And even if he is reprieved, it’s likely the death sentence would be replaced by minimum 30+ years in prison. What sort of life would he have to look forward to when he came out… if he ever did? Would they even be there to greet him… it’s just so sad to watch. 😦
Feature on Bali Nine at: http://www.news.com.au/feature/0,,31317,00.html
The Eclectic Interweb 