Desiderata shares the sentiments of JOHN HOWARD regarding yesterday's early morn execution of drug trafficker Nguyen Tuong Van,25, in Singapore.
The Aussie PM's cental message:
"I HOPE THE STRONGEST MESSAGE THAT COMES OUT OF THIS IS A MESSAGE TO THE YOUNG OF aUSTRALIA - DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH DRUGS, DON'T USE THEM, DON'T CARY THEM, DON'T TRAFFIC IN THEM," HOWARD TOLD AUSTRALIAN RADIO.
I also hope some of our Malaysian youths, especialy readers/fans of a particular blogger based in Sarawak who was ordered recently to remove some 50 "drugs" posts from his blog, heard the messsage loud and clear2.
More from Reuters:Friday December 2, 01:16 PM
Singapore execution warning to young: Australia PM
CANBERRA (Reuters) - The execution of an Australian drug smuggler in Singapore should serve as a warning to other young Australians, Prime Minister John Howard said on Friday as church bells tolled and tears were shed for Tuong Van Nguyen.
Nguyen was hanged shortly before dawn (2200 GMT) in Singapore for smuggling 400 grams (0.9 lb) of heroin from Cambodia through the city-state's Changi airport in 2002 in a case that has polarised and divided Australians.
"I hope the strongest message that comes out of this ... is a message to the young of Australia -- don't have anything to do with drugs, don't use them, don't touch them, don't carry them, don't traffic in them," Howard told Australian radio.
"Don't imagine for a moment that you can risk carrying drugs anywhere in Asia without suffering the most severe consequences."
Howard said he felt sympathy for Nguyen's mother and had been disappointed by Singapore's "clinical response" to Australia's request that she be allowed to hug her son before his death. Singapore only allowed Nguyen's mother to hold his hand.
At the time of Nguyen's death, Howard said he was reflecting on the moment in his office at Parliament House in Canberra.
About 70 people, including Australian politicians, gathered outside the Singapore High Commission in Canberra with a banner reading "Oh Singapore, how could you?" while protesters clutching flowers rallied in Sydney and Melbourne.
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Australian Attorney-General Philip Ruddock on Thursday criticised the imposition of the death penalty and described Nguyen's execution as an "unfortunate, barbaric act."
Singapore is one of Australia's strongest allies in Asia and Howard has rejected calls for trade and military boycotts over the execution. Australia made repeated calls for clemency for Nguyen.
Nobody has been hanged in Australia since 1967 and the death penalty was abolished decades ago. - Reuters
6 comments:
Australia too practised such "unfortunate, barbaric act" up to 1967, so it's an old pot calling the kettle black, as and when the situations suit them. Wonder if the Australian Attorney-General would also like to apply his "barbaric act" label to Indonesia's Bali-bomb-convicts' death sentence ???
Please don't tell me that drug traffickings and suicide bombs are different; they are different only as far as one is an explosive and the other is a drug. The consequences are similar - pain, suffering, misery, death, social instability, etc.
Remember the 'opium war' between China and Britain in about 1840's. The Chinese Emperor then was reported to have said to special Imperial Commissioner, Lin Tse-hsu : "How, alas! can I die and go to the shades of my imperial father and ancestors, until these direful evils are removed!" The British were pushing opium drugs into China causing massive devastation of her peoples' lives and wide-spread social instability.
In today's context, asian countries are not only aware of the social ills of drugs, but are actively protecting their citizens from "direful evils" such as those drug traffickers and pushers, by punishing them with a mandatory death sentence. This may sound harsh, cruel, etc. but we have also to consider the plight, pain, misery, etc. of families of victims of those drug traffickers/pushers.
For those Australians who opposed sooo vehemently against the execution, I just wonder if they would prefer that countries, with death penalty for drug traffickings, let the traffickers pass through if those traffickers declare that they are bound for Australia.
However, I do feel for the family of Nguyen Tuong Van, especially his mother who must have felt that pain of losing a loved one. Being not able to meet again is excruciatingly painful beyond words; believe you me, I know how it feels like:
O when shall we meet again
Our desires to embrace was in vain
My heart broke when I held your hands
On the eve of your departure in Sing-land
O when shall we meet again
Our lives together were short and plain
As the killing fields of our ancestral land
Whence we took refuge in foreign camps
O when shall we meet again
Having you was both joy and pain
We built our dreams on the sands
Of the shores of our new-found land
Here down under new friends we gain
Bright lights at end of tunnel for us were lain
Hopes and dreams realized in our adopted land
Happiness together had only a shortlife span
Was dashed when greed and drugs got the upper hand
O God when shall we meet again
jpsc (Sing-land)
jpsc:
yes, the US just executed its 1,000th death row prisoner Boyd after the capital punishment was reinstated some 30 yaers ago. hIS CRIME WAS MURDER. "Barbaric?" -- well, the popular citizenry accepted it -- for the larger good of the community.
You are right o ask of the Aussies -- you want these drug pushers and traffickers to successfully bring it drugs to "victimse" Young AUSTRALIANS? tHERE IS ALWAYS A PRICE TO PAY -- BALANCING ONE INDIVIDUAL'S RIGH AGAINST THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF yOUNG PEOPLE - REGARDLESS OF aUSTRLAIN, sINGAPOREAN OR mALAYSIAN --i'LL GO FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE LARGER COMMUNITY.
yes, we feel for Nugyen's family -- but athe end of the day, the PM Howard has to warn his citizens when going beyond Oz-land borders -- beware of the laws applicable in the land you set your foot on. After so much "imfamY created by previous Oz hangings -- Oz people cannot plead ignorance. "barbaric" is just another word one encounters in the civilization process of a people, black, white, yellow -- we often trade positions in the ever evolving human cycles of the high tide and ebb of a nation's social mores.
peAce.:)
A drug trafficer doesn't inject the user , that is the users choice.
Be it a junkie or highly educated being. Not all users are common junkies that is a fact in oz .
Say what ever you want about Oz the fact remains , Van suffered greatly for crime as is his mother n family n friends.
Don't think for a moment i have not witnessed the destruction heroin brings to ppls lives , but it is by choice those that use it destroy their lives.
I am against capital punishment...
Yes even for those that killed and maimed and injured fellow aussie's.
Tonight i sat at one of the most beautiful an peaceful places ,and thanked God how lucky i am for now.
Bush n Howard are also evil
Don't click on the link ,unless you can handle suffering
http://www.robert-fisk.com/iraqwarvictims_page1.htm
Desi:
I concur with what you've said about favouring protection of the larger community; it's also interesting to note the sociological aspect of vocabulary. This coupled with the manner and tone in which it is used, signify the closeness between two countries.
Peace to you.
Sweets:
There are 2 issues here - drugs and capital punishment.
I agree that "a trafficker doesn't inject the user" and "it is by choice those that use it destroy their lives". I honestly feel that this 'freedom of choice' left to the individuals, even in the most civilized country, will have great social impact upon the populace, as you yourself witnessed. Can't imagine what will happen in lesser developed countries. To stretch it a little further, can we leave to individuals' choice on guns, explosives, glue sniffing, anthrax powder, etc. ? Knowing the ills and social problems that can and will arise, shouldn't the government then ban or limit the availability of these for the larger good of the people. I'm not saying the banning drugs will totally eradicate it, but at least keep it to the minimum possible.
Capital punishment ? It depends on the nature of the crimes and if applicable, then perhaps on the type of executiion. If I'm not wrong, more than 30 states in US have capital punishments - it will be interesting to know why the discrepancies within the US itself. Whether drug traffickers should be subjected to capital punishment is another matter.
Anyway, thanks for the link and warm greetings.
Peace to you.
sweets: thou art the usual kind and generous of heart woman
me and jpsc (I think i can represent in a small way here)-- we rise above the fai\milail to the societal -- hence for the pain of one, many are saved, sems a more reasonable and reasoned choice.
Desi is also affected by his socialist leanings -- jpsc, do you have such leanings, or learning, to come to such a stand on this Capital Punishment issue?
Double peAce to all;
sorry i got here LATE after my sundae BF/Lunch?dinner all thrown into one -- bourgeosie escapade for one out of eight days a weeek -- (jpsc, latecomer , on spiritedestination, we have a PRIME day to do as we free spirits like ...on 1 condition -- no small or capital crime!...:);):):):):):)
peace to you both n tcz
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