Bali Nine On Paying Price & Revealing Last Wish; PM Abbott Reiterates Mercy Plea

Facing death is something that did not escape the mind of two of Bali Nine’s death row convicts. In fact, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran entertained the idea of execution as they spent their time in prison, contemplating on their stupid mistakes. Death, after all, is the wages for their sins.

In retrospect, Chan said death penalty dawned on them, but they chose to continue what they were doing. It was only when their liberty was restricted and they were confined in detention that they saw what they were doing was bad.

Pay The Piper

A few of recorded interviews of Chan and Sukumaran sometime in 2011 were not published. They spoke not only about death penalty, but more importantly, about hope and rehabilitation. For Chan, knowing that he will be executed is harder on his family than on himself. Reflecting on this, Chan said he “screwed up big time.”

“A mother is not supposed to bury their kid. Obviously a kid is supposed to bury their mother,” such was the statement of Chan who also believed no one is perfect. And for the mistakes they have committed, they are now paying the piper the highest price — their lives.

To Paint

Chinthu Sukumaran, brother of a Bali Nine death row convict Myuran Sukumaran, told media Myuran’s “last wish was to paint for as long as possible.” As their execution drew closer, Myuran’s thoughts and emotions were depicted on his paintings mostly portraits and lately, the dark days that loomed ahead. According to the media, Myuran’s previous paintings were exhibited and auctioned off in Bali.

Chinthu lamented the imminent execution of his brother and other inmate “is a grave injustice” and although Myuran "found peace with what may happen,” Chintu felt “it does not have to be [that] way.”

No One’s Best Interests

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott made another "mercy plea" on Sunday, April 26 to Indonesian government, urging President Joko Widodo to abandon death penalty for the best interests of both countries and respective citizens. Mr Abbott reiterated that “death penalty is not in accordance with the best values of Indonesia or in accord with the Indonesia I know well, to go ahead with something like this.”

The two Bali Nine members have been issued with 72-hours’ notice on Saturday, making their execution inevitable. Julie Bishop, Australia’s Foreign Affairs minister, mirrored the prime minister’s view and added the two Australians “have been rehabilitated in a most remarkable way” over the decade. The two’s remorse was also genuine.

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