Balinese up demand on bombers' execution
I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar
Balinese protesters returned to the streets here on Monday to put pressure on the government to immediately execute three convicted bombers who were sentenced to death for their roles in the 2002 Bali bombings.
Ignoring the scorching heat, dozens of Balinese Hindus marched to the Bali Prosecutor's Office and the Denpasar District Court, saying Amrozi, Imam Samudra and Ali Gufron should face the firing squad.
A similar demonstration took place last week after the Oct. 1 suicide bombings that killed 23 people including three suicide bombers.
Amrozi, Imam and Gufron all received capital punishment for their key role in the first Bali bombings at two crowded nightclubs in Legian, Kuta, which killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists.
Dressed in traditional Balinese costume, the protesters marched into the prosecutor's office in Renon area, chanting loudly "Kill Amrozi, F*** Terrorists, Bali Peace".
Several councillors, including Bali Legislative Council deputy speaker IBG Suryaatmaja and Kuta Muslim leader Agus Bambang Priyanto, joined Tuesday's protest.
"It is a waste of time and money to keep convicted terrorists in prison," said protest leader Wayan Sumarta Cipta.
Most of the protesters wore white headbands, a traditional symbol of purity and willingness to sacrifice.
"Stop crying and brace yourself for Puputan (fight until the end) against terrorists," protest leader I Wayan Semara Cipta said.
The fact that the government has not carried out the death sentence for the three convicted bombers has angered the Balinese for quite some time. The recent bombings at a steak house in Kuta and two seafood restaurants in Jimbaran turned the anger into a street rage.
In a petition read out by the protesters before Bali chief prosecutor Ketut Arthana, they also asked the government to completely eradicate the evil network of terrorism and establish a security system based on internationally-recognized standards for Bali.
The demonstrators also appealed to the international community not to abandon Bali in such difficult times.
In response, Artana said the local prosecutor's office had asked the Denpasar District Court to speed up the legal process necessary for the execution.
"We can execute a convicted person only after he has exhausted all available legal measures, including an appeal to the Supreme Court and a request for presidential clemency," he said.
"We have asked the Denpasar court chief to file for clemency on behalf of the three convicted bombers," he added.
Curiously, Denpasar District Court president Nengah Suriada said that he actually had applied for it six months ago.
"The Supreme Court however refused to process my application for a presidential clemency due to a legal technicality. Therefore, I have asked the prosecutor's office to take the next step," he added.
Angered by judicial red tape, the weary and confused protesters called it a day, threatening to organize a larger protest on Wednesday to mark the third anniversary of the 2002 bombings.
The protest will be staged in front of Kerobokan prison, where the three bombers are incarcerated, they said.