Balinese up demand on bombers' execution
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.