Chaubey's execution sends shock waves

Chaubey's execution sends shock waves

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung

The execution of drug convict Ayodhya Prasadh Chaubey has sent a
shock waves through the family of Rani Andriani alias Melissa
Aprilia, 29, who is on death row for drug trafficking.

Rani's relatives said they were deeply afraid that the death
of Rani was imminent, following Chaubey's execution by firing
squad last week in Medan. Chaubey, an Indian national, was
executed after he was convicted of smuggling heroin into
Indonesia over 10 years ago.

Neli, the sister of Rani, disclosed that her parents -- Andi
Sopandi and Nani -- were in a great distress because they would
soon lose their eldest daughter Rani.

Rani, who was convicted of smuggling and possession of heroin,
is waiting for the final decision over her clemency request from
the President.

"We don't want to lose her. We hope the government grants her
clemency," said Neli, who spoke to The Jakarta Post recently from
Batam. Neli is now living and working with her mother Nani in
Batam, while her father is living near the family home in
Ciranjang area, Cianjur regency, West Java province.

Neli said that after Rani was convicted, the family was
interviewed by lots of media people and became the center of
attention. They were very uncomfortable with it, mostly because
it gave endless ammunition to their neighbors who were
ceaselessly gossiping about Rani.

Because of the social pressure, Andi Sopandi was forced to
move away from the family home to a house belonging to Andi's
father, also in Ciranjang.

Imas, the younger brother of Andi, said recently that Andi had
become much closer to God and prays that Rani can be granted
clemency.

Rani is one of three drug convicts from Cianjur, who were
sentenced to death by the Tangerang District Court in 2002.

The two others are Meirika Franola, 36 and Deni, 32, who are
also Rani's relatives.

The three have asked for clemency, and the clemency proposals
from Meirika and Deni have already been rejected by the
President.

Neli still holds out hope that the President will grant
clemency to Rani. Neli said that Rani's role in the drug case in
2000 was not very clear, so she should have been acquitted.

Rani was arrested on Jan. 12, 2000 at Soekarno-Hatta
International Airport, along with Meirika and Deni while
attempting to smuggle 3.5 kilograms of heroin into the country.
The police also discovered three kilograms of heroin in Meirika's
rented house in Taman Yasmin housing complex, Bogor.

According to Neli, Rani was only with Meirika at the airport
because she was offered a job in a garment factory abroad. "But,
she was arrested along with Meirika at the airport."

Meirika was previously married and worked with a Nigerian man
named Tony, was accused of being a member of an international
drug syndicate. Tony was shot and killed by the police.

Deni was a civil servant with the Cianjur regency
administration, and was found guilty of aiding and abetting
Meirika's drug trafficking.

Unlike Neli, who spoke openly with the media, the family of
Meirika has spurned media requests for interviews. Aang Hidajat,
the father of Meirika, who lives in Cianjur, refused to comment.

Aang has become wary of all journalists after a tv station
breached an agreement with the family. The tv producers said they
would not show his face when the interview was aired, but they
still did.

When The Jakarta Post tried to interview him at his house
recently, he rejected the interview offer.

"I am sick and tired of this. All my interviews have been
published and aired, so you don't need to interview me again," he
said.

Neli said that she had lost contact with the family of Meirika
after the three went on trial.