Thank you to Neville of www.myesk.ws for suggesting that a "standard letter" be developed that can be sent to the Leaders of Australia by everyone who feels strongly about the "Schapelle Corby" issue. "Leaders" are not just politicians by the way, there are leaders of our country in many walks of life eg business, religion, sport etc etc.... Please copy this letter, modify it as you wish and send it to anyone you consider to be a "leader" in Australia.
To the Leaders of Australia
What can be done to Bring Schapelle Corby Home?
I am personally appealing to your consciences, and your stated commitment to the well-being of Australia and all Australians, to individually and collectively do whatever it takes to bring Schapelle Corby home to Australia.
As each day passes, and I as watch on the TV and read the newspapers and listen to the radio, in quiet horror, at the farce that is the trial of Schapelle Corby in Bali, I feel an ever growing and burning desire for Australia to take decisive steps to end the horrific treatment to which Schapelle Corby is being subjected by bringing her home to Australia. To see what Schapelle is being subjected to in Bali is, no less horrific than the pictures of the Iraqi prisoner abuse.
The purpose of this letter is not to insist that Schapelle is innocent; although I do believe Schapelle to be innocent.
The real issue here is that an Australian citizen is being subjected to what can only be described from what I see and hear as “cruel and unusual punishment” including inhumane imprisonment conditions and mental torture.
You will all have your view on the “sovereignty of other countries” and their “right to govern according to their laws” … fair enough. But you were also not born yesterday and you would know that a Denpasar court and jail is neither just nor humane. Please do not continue to ignore the facts and REALITY of Schapelle Corby’s treatment and her so called “trial” by hiding behind the theory of the “sovereign country-right to govern” argument. Remember the outrage at the treatment of Iraqi prisoners of war – American service people were tried and convicted and we still hear on the news today about whether Australian diplomats “knew about” Iraqi prisoner abuse – the point here is, that the issue of Iraqi prisoner abuse (in the past) is attracting far greater concern than the abuse of one of our own citizens (which is occurring right now), and which we are ALL aware.
This prisoner abuse of Schapelle Corby – an Australian citizen who, in all the circumstances is NOT guilty beyond reasonable doubt, lives in daily fear of facing execution by firing squad. If that is not mental torture then WHAT IS?
The point is, Schapelle Corby is being subjected to sub-human imprisonment conditions, a complete lack of legal “equity” that she would be afforded under Australian Law and, consequently, mental torture that is literally unspeakable.
Can we not negotiate something with the Indonesians that, in return for DFAT maintaining Bali as a “favoured” tourist destination (and not a destination with a constant “no go” travel advisory), the Indonesians, in return agree to allow the immediate deportation of any Australians arrested at customs for drug offences?
Please consider this issue very carefully – there will be a “tsunami” of public opinion here in Australia if events deteriorate any further - it has not happened yet but it will I am certain.
I consider myself to be an ordinary Australian - not often moved to put pen to paper in the name of political causes BUT, in this instance, I see that you or I, or our own children or our neighbour’s children could just as easily be in Schapelle’s position today. As it happens, Schapelle is the unlucky “bunny” in this drama.
Schapelle was transported to Indonesia by our National flag carrier Qantas. Schapelle did not even, strictly speaking, set foot into the country of Indonesia – she was stopped in customs, arguably in International “no-man’s land” – can we not use this argument to persuade the Indonesians that WE believe that Schapelle’s plight is a travesty of justice based upon a reasonable belief that the drugs were “planted” in her luggage.
Consequently, it is not Indonesia’s problem to deal with Schapelle – it is really Australia’s problem to look at how Australian Customs, the Australian Federal Police, Qantas and the Australian Airport and Airline security are guilty of contributing to this bag of drugs ending up in the luggage of an Australian passenger disembarking in Indonesia.
This issue has every ingredient for an astounding diplomatic triumph or leadership diaster… it is now over to you.
Every Australian
