Saturday, January 28, 2006

For Australia, freedom from execution should not be negotiable

To its great credit The Age continues to lobby for changes to our government's approach to the imposition of the death penalty by neighbouring countries. However, the pivotal role of the AFP in the arrests of the Bali nine in a death penalty jurisdiction indicates the Howard government will sacrifice Australian lives in the name of expedient bilateral gains. As The Age put it:

"The prosecution of the alleged heroin traffickers known as the Bali nine relies heavily on information provided by the Australian Federal Police. The prosecutor has cited AFP documents in seeking the execution of the alleged ringleaders and life sentences for the other accused. The Australian Government has said it will lobby for clemency if death sentences are imposed, but a more consistent, pre-emptive approach might have averted this situation."

The only way to restore decency to government is to remove this power-drunk rabble of macho neo-cons from power at the next opportunity.

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