Australia recalls ambassador after Indonesia executes eight convicts
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Indonesia's late-night execution of eight convicted drug traffickers has drawn international condemnation and strained bilateral relations, with neighboring Australia making the rare decision to recall its ambassador.
Seven of the eight executed early Wednesday local time were foreigners, including two Australians, one Brazilian, and four Nigerians. A ninth prisoner from the Philippines was granted a last-minute stay while her case is further investigated.
Brazil recalled its ambassador to Indonesia after another national was executed on drug charges in January. As a result, Brasilia didn鈥檛 allow Indonesia's new ambassador to take part in a credentials ceremony this year, and President Dilma Rousseff said the latest execution "marks a serious event in the relations between the two countries."
For Australia, it鈥檚 rare to recall an ambassador, and it has over a prisoner execution, reports Reuters.聽
"We respect Indonesia's sovereignty but we do deplore what's been done and this cannot be simply business as usual," Prime Minister Tony Abbott told reporters.聽"I want to stress that this is a very important relationship between Australia and Indonesia but it has suffered as a result of what's been done over the last few hours.鈥�
The two executed Australians聽had been in prison for 10 years on charges of running a heroin-trafficking ring known as the Bali Nine. Supporters said the two men聽had repented and reformed during their incarceration. Andrew Chan became a 海角大神 pastor and married an Indonesian woman, while Myuran Sukumaran became an accomplished artist, teaching fellow inmates.
Australia enjoys a trade surplus with Indonesia and the nations have worked in Southeast Asia since scores of Australians were killed in a terrorist bombing in Bali in 2002, reports Voice of America. Thus far, Australia hasn鈥檛 mentioned ending aid programs or imposing economic sanctions over Wednesday's execution.聽
Jakarta has defended its actions.聽The executions were necessary to send a message to would-be traffickers, said Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo: 鈥淒o not try to smuggle drugs in Indonesia, because we will be harsh and firm against drug-related crimes.鈥�
Mr. Prasetyo added, 鈥淚 would like to say that an execution 鈥�. We are not making enemies of countries from where those executed came. What we are fighting against is drug-related crimes."聽
Vice President Jusuf Kalla told reporters that he predicts the negative diplomatic response will last 鈥渏ust for a while, a month or two, to signify protest.鈥�
Many view Indonesia鈥檚 decision to move forward with the executions as a domestic political move in a nation penalty and where President Joko Widodo has been struggling to assert his authority, The Wall Street Journal reports.
罢丑别听聽鈥渞epresents for most Indonesians a return to the regular order under a president who is unafraid to enforce Indonesian laws, even when placed under intense pressure to offer foreigners special dispensation,鈥澛燗aron Connelly聽of the Sydney-based Lowy Institute for International Policy聽. 鈥淭o most Indonesians, this is reform.鈥�
The international community has criticized what it views as a and an exaggeration of drug use in Indonesia as an excuse for the executions, the BBC reports.
"Indonesia appeals for clemency when its own nationals face execution in other countries, so it is incomprehensible why it absolutely refuses to grant clemency for lesser crimes on its own territory," said Rupert Colville, the United Nations human rights spokesman in Geneva.
