Looming execution prompts call for suspended defence exercise
Friday, 25 November 2005
The Greens are calling on the Federal Government to suspend Singapore's military activities in Australia unless the death sentence for an Australian drug trafficker is commuted.
Van Nguyen is due to hang in Singapore next Friday.
Thousands of Singapore troops are in central Queensland for their annual military exercise at Shoalwater Bay.
Greens' leader Bob Brown says Prime Minister John Howard should activate termination clauses in Australia's agreements with Singapore, over its mandatory death penalty.
"There is a lot the Prime Minister could be doing here, but it will take statesmanship, it will take a preparedness to use leverage on Singapore," he said.
"We have a lot of leverage, we should use some of it and Prime Minister Howard should use this military arrangement, which Singapore depends mightily on, to ensure that Singapore gets the message."
Senator Brown dismissed concerns the cutting of ties could hurt Rockhampton's economy.
Welcome piece of news, we can train in the US instead.
ReplyDeleteThese Aussies are getting on my nerves.
Hooray!! No more Ex. Wallaby!!
ReplyDeletePlse lah, the economy in Rockhampton needs our money, they talk big only but MONEY talks LOUDER.
Australia has no guts to do anything, all talk only.
Yah, how ironic, scold other people no guts but post anonymously. Please lah.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I don't think it's worth it to hurt bilateral and economic relations to hang a drug trafficker who have probably redeemed himself by providing information on the whereabouts of the drugs. It's going to be real embarassing if they were to be from Burma. And I also concede one shouldn't be punished with death if there's no outright malice.
ReplyDeletebut think abt the consequences of the drugs actually reaching whoever it is suppose to reach. it will escalate to greater problems to society, economy and eventually the region and the globe. i mean, every country has their system of punishing the convicted. moreover, it's not a new thing that singapore punishes drug traffickers by hanging them. it's a risk that the trafficker should have known and considered once he had accepted the job of trafficking the drug. so i dont think it's wrong to hang him and that, i dont think australia should plead in any ways cause they understand how it works and they know it's no use pleading.
ReplyDeleteYou shouldn't use a consequentialist position to justify your decision which is informed by utilitarian thinking ok. It is stupid. Either you stick with it or come up with better justification for the death penalty.
ReplyDeleteI think people are truly ignorant of what sg govt had done, so they just merely think it is right to have such mandatory death penalty. Please find out more before coming to such conclusion!
ReplyDelete