Questionable timing of executions

Questionable timing of executions

Learning that Ayodhya Prasadh Chaubey was the first drug
trafficker who has been executed in over a decade and the first
convict executed during the last three years, I cannot help but
become suspicious that President Megawati Soekarnoputri's
rejection of his clemency appeal was purely politically motivated
ahead of the Sept. 20 presidential election.

To take drug traffickers severely to task in order to protect
young people from narcotics is most laudable. But demonstrating
toughness only ahead of the September runoff is most
questionable. President Megawati, currently fighting for
reelection, seems to be of the opinion that the execution of a
drug trafficker will impress the voters to cast their votes in
her favor.

The appeals of two convicted Thai drug traffickers for
clemency were also rejected by the President. Does this mean that
there will be two more announcements of executions shortly? This
would surely reinforce the suspicion that Megawati's rejection of
the clemency appeals was "a political commodity ahead of the
September runoff", as expressed by Hendardi, the director of the
Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (The Jakarta
Post,
Aug. 7).

Showing toughness with minor players in the dirty drug
business is an easy game. But, "Big-time drug syndicates remain
out of reach" (Post, Aug. 9). Therefore, I couldn't agree more
with the writer of the excellent editorial titled Chaubey and the
drug war, who wrote: "We have rarely seen major drug lords
brought to justice." (Post, Aug. 7) Too true, not only for
Indonesia but for all countries around the world.

Why? Because wherever and whenever so much money is involved
-- we are talking billions of U.S. dollars here -- such business
can only flourish with powerful protection. That applies for
corruptors, too.

And here the question arises: Why didn't President Megawati
show equal toughness with some of the most famous corruptors
during her three years in office? Wouldn't that have impressed
the Indonesian people much more than the execution of an ill-
fated old convict, whose crime could have been punished by life
imprisonment?

HILDE MAY, Jakarta