Our hearts go out to Corby<\/p>\n
Our hearts go out to Schapelle Corby, the Australian sentenced
\nto 20 years in an Indonesian jail for drug trafficking. Who
\namong us does not feel grieved by the ordeal she is facing? I
\nmyself, however, am even more concerned about the reaction of
\n"fair-minded, clear-thinking Australians" like Kevin Taylor whose
\nletter to the Indonesian people appeared in the May 27 issue of
\nThe Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Is the Indonesian verdict really so out of line, as
\nmany Australians claim? Had Corby been flying to Bangkok or Kuala
\nLumpur instead of Bali, wouldn't she be facing the firing squad
\nright now instead of a 20 year jail sentence?<\/p>\n
If Corby was the innocent victim of an Australian baggage
\nhandler's drug smuggling enterprise, as Taylor suggests, why are
\nAustralians focusing their rage on the Indonesian judicial
\nsystem? If there was a discrepancy between the weight of Corby's
\nluggage when she checked in and when she arrived at Denpasar,
\naccused of smuggling 4.1 kg of drugs into Bali, what are
\nAustralians doing to catch those guilty of such a heinous crime
\nagainst one of their own citizens?<\/p>\n
What would have happened if the situation had been reversed
\nand an Indonesian woman had been caught with drugs in her baggage
\nin Sydney? Would the Australian court have been as lenient as the
\nIndonesian court has been with Corby? Were traditional Indonesian
\nfishermen, who lack modern navigational equipment, treated justly
\nwhen Australian authorities capsized or burned their boats and
\nleft at least one to die in Darwin?<\/p>\n
How sympathetic can we expect Indonesians to be about Corby's
\ncase when Indonesian citizens are treated so harshly "down
\nunder"? What can we say about Corby's "fair-minded and clear-
\nthinking" countrymen who called into radio talk shows saying they
\nregretted having made donations to the Indonesian tsunami
\nvictims? What does that have to do with the case? And would it
\nnot be as detrimental to Australia as it would be to Indonesia if
\nAustralians boycott Bali (their favorite backyard playground) and
\nall Indonesian goods?<\/p>\n
We can understand how such comments and threats might be made
\nin the heat of the moment, but in the long-term we would hope for
\na more rational reaction from "fair-minded, clear-thinking
\nAustralians".<\/p>\n
Let's take a more positive position by supporting those
\ndefending Corby and battle this case through the system. Let's
\nleave the case to the Australian lawyers being sent to Corby's
\naid and trust that justice will be served.<\/p>\n
ROSELLA M. KAMEO, Salatiga, Central Java<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/our-hearts-go-out-to-corby-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }