#andrewchan

It has been a couple of months since Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan were executed in Indonesia. I didn't know either of the men personally, but their execution had a profound effect on my viewpoint towards the death penalty.

Living in South Africa with one of the highest crimes rates in the world, I have always approved of the death penalty. I think of how the introduction of the death penalty in South Africa could possibly curb our high violent crime rate.

I was way too young to have a keen interest in current affairs when the Bali Nine saga first made headlines. What I do know was that both Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were in their twenties when they were arrested. I am in my twenties. I know of the irresponsible things that we do at this age. Wouldn't Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran have been like any other person in their twenties? Brash and irresponsible?

I am not condoning their actions. What they did was wrong. Do I believe they deserved to be arrested? Yes, of course. They committed a crime. Do I believe they maybe deserved a lengthy prison sentence? Yes, most definitely. Do I think they deserved to face the firing squad? NO!!! Just take a look at their transformation during their incarceration at Kerobokan prison in Bali. Myuran had become an accomplished artist during his time in prison, and Andrew had converted to Christianity and was counselling other inmates who had been sentenced to death. Allowing them to serve a lengthy prison sentence and then releasing them at the end of their sentences would have made a major contribution to humankind. Killing them has done nothing. It will not resolve the drug problem that Indonesia and the rest of the world is currently facing. Its a pity that Joko Widodo couldn't see that.

When they were arrested, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were just two Australian blokes in their twenties that thought they were invisible, like so many other people at that age. Considering the widespread global condemnation towards Indonesia in light of their execution, it is clear that a lot of people are now judging their actions accordingly. Its a pity the Indonesian justice system couldn't do the same.