Angry Australians

Schapelle Corby has been found guilty of smuggling 4.1 kg of marijuana to Bali from Australia. She was sentenced to 20 years' jail by an Indonesian court today. Read here and here.

The case has garnered massive attention in Australia. Everyone has their own theory of whether Corby is guilty or not. According to a poll around 90% of Australians believed she's innocent. Some people even donated money for her defense.

I won't argue here whether she's truly guilty or innocent. It's been decided by the judges. What concerns me is the way some Australians are reacting over the case. Many claimed she's innocent because they (or a friend's friend's cousin's neighbor) knew her personally and didn't believe a beautician from Queensland would smuggle marijuana to a country with such strict anti-drugs law. Some argued that she's a victim of a smuggling syndicate that uses baggage handlers to put drugs on unsuspecting travelers' luggage.

The comments found on Australian news sites really baffled me. Some wanted to boycott Indonesian products and would not travel to Bali or Indonesia ever again to "punish" Indonesians. One said Indonesia is being ungrateful because Australia donated A$ 1 billion for tsunami aid and they imprisoned an Australian instead (where the hell is the relevance of that? So the next time an Aussie smuggles a ton of coke to Jakarta the Indonesians should just let him off cos hey, they gave us a billion bucks what?). Some even got really mad they turned to attacks against Indonesian people in general by saying we're "uncivilized" and calling us "monkeys". Wah, no need to get personal, mate.

Some of the comments found on news.com.au:

• From: Darren
  Comment: Break off diplomatic relations. Send in the SAS to rescue Schapelle. Set up a Navy blockade. Teach these uncivilised people a lesson.

> Someone read too much Clancy apparently.

• From: Tim
  Comment: I need to find out a list of all Indonesian products available in Australia to boycott them all. Could someone publish one please?

> You can stop consuming Indomie. We don't mind.

• From: scott
  Comment: I'll boycott Indonesia forever. Can I have my Tsunami donation back now? I'll never help them again if they place innocent people behind bars. My friends know Schappelle and she may be a little stupid, but she knows nothing about the world of drugs really.

> So your donation was never based on humanitarian grounds after all?

• From: ken
  Comment: Can any body tell me why she deserves special treatment and why should she be given a free passage home as a prisoner exchange transfer? Because she says she is innocent? So what? The bali nine can say they are innocent as well. Are they going to get the same prisoner exchange system?? The Australian Government want to run its own country and let Indonesia run its own. If you do the crime be prepared to do the time.

> Finally someone with a clear head.

The weird thing is Indonesians themselves don't really care about the case. Guess they are more concerned about corruption cases on the KPU or the latest berita selebritis. Indonesians are just tired about all these drugs cases and the impact on Indonesian youth. With the high rate of drug abuse Indonesians would rather have smugglers and dealers sent to a firing squad anyway.


Listening to: Sonophonic - The Conjuration