Pink and Undecided: opinion

Prayers and Thoughts for Bali Nine

Hey guys...

Today i just want to ask all of you to put your hands together and pray with me, for Bali Nine, two of which were executed yesterday in Nusa Kambangan, Indonesia. Let's pray for their soul, and their loved ones. May they be strengthened during this difficult time.

I don't usually write about this kind of stuffs, i try to steer clear of anything that's out of my area expertise, but this time i cannot stand still and not say something.

First of all, let me get this perfectly clear : i am an Indonesian and i am against death penalty. I believe that no matter how huge someone's mistake is, death penalty is not the answer. I believe there is no point of the loss of another human being with death penalty. I'm sure if you know someone who's been cruelly murdered or something, then you'd probably think otherwise, but this is my opinion and i hope everybody can respect that.

Having said that, death penalty exists in Indonesian law and it is real. It's harrowing and sad, but as this is MY country, no matter how i might despise the government, i think it is there for a reason.

I would stop my post here if this is the only issue i have, but it is not. You might be well aware that my beloved country, Indonesia, has been the talk in the world yesterday-and not in a positive way either. Foreign countries right and left are condemning us for carrying on with the execution and citizens of the world (especially from the countries strongly related to Bali Nine) cursed us in the cyber world-even calling to boycott us (in which i would say, good luck to that-i've read countless supporting replies from your very own countrymen telling you that's not gonna happen and they'd still want to visit us because we just don't kill off innocent people with no reason and as long as you're not doing anything wrong then there's nothing to be worried about).

While it's hardly shocking, it is still quite hard to understand the level that people go to when posting online. I understand how outrageous media headlines can make it sound like, especially for people who are not even that clear about Indonesian law and the case-but it doesn't make it okay to write hateful comment directed to the whole nation.

There is one particular comment that made me so mad, i had to reply to her. This is her comment :

Barbaric. State murder. Just keep them in prison. It's not ok to do this. Do you really think people in Bali right now are not selling or smuggling drugs because of this news. The answer is NO.

Not only that, but when people replied her and reason with her, she became more and more agitated, like a child who's not happy that people are not taking her side. It went so bad that she went and insult ALL of us Indonesian citizens-although WE are not the one making the law or even supporting death penalty. A lot of Indonesian (and other people from mostly Asian countries) replied to her in anger, and she got even more abusive with her comment. It especially enraged me when she kept on repeating that we'll die without the tourists and their money, excuse me? Indonesia is not only Bali, and no-tourism is not even the highest income that we have. I hate the way she wrote like we're some barbaric, uncivilized, uneducated people and that we're beneath them just because we're from a developing country.

Sure, my first thought was to tell her to shove her dollar up her arse and we don't need it, but of course i came to my senses. It seemed to me that most people making rude and abusive comments are not even aware that lots of Indonesian are highly educated, worldly people and even speak English (why would you, if you think we're all barbaric and uncivilized?). We follow the news, and yes-we read your insults. So i calmed myself and replied :

You said you're glad you're from a civilized country, but you write like an uneducated person. Indonesia is a big country, and we have a lot of people with feelings too. I too am against death penalty, but it's the law here. If they were killed for no reasons at all then you have every right to say whatever you want to say, but them breaking the law epically like this? What would you say if we let them go, that they paid for their freedom? We just can't win. Why can't we all just respect every countries' laws and just don't break them? Or just don't go to countries with death penalties if you don't like the law.

Sadly, by the time i posted it, she had stopped replying to comments. Either she got bored (very likely), or she was surprised at how many Indonesian speaks English and stood up to her-or she might even got attacked on her account (which is also very likely. Indonesian-especially the youth-are quite hot headed and easily riled. Myself included).

I am very glad to see despite the many bullies (yes, it is considered bullies when a nation is being cornered and attacked because they're following through with their decisions) surrounding us, many foreign people with good heads also rise up and defended us. Many wrote very neutral and sobering posts, like this one.

One Singaporean also wrote a very strong message, and i quote "Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia’s laws are very clear, crystal clear. We will HANG drug traffickers. What’s so difficult to understand here? Now your citizens have been caught red-handed, but you arrogant big countries still want to try to bully developing country like Indonesia to make them submit to your demands. USA hangs and kills thousands of drug traffickers, why don’t you make noise there? USA almost destroyed Iraq, a country that never posed threats to anybody, why didn’t you make noise there?"

While i am calm enough (for once!!!) to not use the same tone, i truly agree with every single word the person wrote. IT IS THE LAW, don't break it! Then you'll be okay! If you insist on breaking it anyway, don't slander us for doing what we already said we're going to do in the first place. What's so hard to understand?

Every country has their own law, i find some also ridiculous and barbaric-but do i meddle? No, of course not. It's not my place to do so. Do you think there are no Indonesian being executed overseas for their crimes? For breaking those countries' law? There are plenty! Yes, we got angry too, but do we start condemning and calling the entire nation and its people barbaric, uncivilized and try to boycott them? Ehm... How about a no?

I can understand if you're condemning the punishment, like i said earlier, i am also totally against death penalty. Do you think we're happy about this? Do you think we're dancing around in circles celebrating this tragedy? NO. Majority of us stopped in our tracks and say a prayer for them. We also wish that nothing like this will ever happen again-i do not wish to hear about another execution in my life.

Again i emphasize, It IS the law, and it's put out there regardless. Do you think if an Indonesian is caught smuggling heroin in or out of Indonesia, they'd be spared? Do your research, Zainal Abidin was also executed yesterday for drug related crime.

I am not saying that our government aren't corrupt, it is embedded so deep for many years that yes, i am aware that someone super powerful and wealthy MIGHT escape by paying the right price. It's true. But that is not the case here, and don't worry-there is one sure way of avoiding getting into this situation : don't do it.

There are also (extremely stupid, i must add) an argument saying how they were not even smuggling drugs INTO Indonesia but out of Indonesia instead-like somehow that makes it okay. Even when you're on a plane (domestically or international), the flight attendant would recite "Possession of illegal substances are prohibited and those carrying drugs and other prohibited items WILL be prosecuted." How much louder should the message be? There is no line saying that "Unless you're carrying it to another country, then it's okay." so don't try to twist it around!

Those who are saying "This will not stop people doing drugs. And there are drugs factories in Indonesia!" well, hello. If we keep a blind eye and let it pass, wouldn't it make a clear message that our law is weak and can be ignored? If it doesn't start with making a stand, where will this lead us?

As an Indonesian, i witnessed first hand how bad drug problems in Indonesia is. If you're an Indonesian too, most probably you know someone who does drugs-at least. I personally has my own life touched with this issue-people around me had been through some problems with drugs, directly and indirectly. It breaks my heart to see people i know (and care about) destroying their lives with drugs. So trust me when i say this, it is a big problem in Indonesia. I've been living an entirely healthy life (i don't even drink much and i don't smoke), but even i am affected by this problem. So i definitely cannot say that i hate that this nation's declaring war against drugs.

The point is, as much as i also hate the fact that death penalty exists and just happened again in my own country, i also strongly believe that those who call us uncivilized, barbaric and low must know our side of the story.

Please stop bullying and making insensitive comments demeaning all Indonesian as a nation, we're people too and we have as much right to try to protect our country and its people as you.

#Pink

PS : Today my timeline's flooded with posts of sympathies for Indonesian, even from Australians themselves (like this one). Also, we strike back of their threats to boycott us, and even made it to their news. Please understand that i have nothing against Australian (except the ones posting unnecessarily demeaning posts) and personally have plenty of Australian friends. Lots of my Indonesian friends are also living in Australia so this post is definitely not directed to attack or defame Australians.