The grief-stricken families of Myuran, 34, and Andrew, 31 yesterday visited the Australian prisoners to say their final goodbyes in a harrowing appearance, as they were escorted through the waiting media scrum at the Indonesian port of Cilacap, absolutely devastated at the end of the young men’s short lives.
Myuran’s sister Brintha could not contain her grief-stricken wails as she made her through the chaotic scene. Andrew’s mother Helen was sobbing as she was carried through the media scrum by police officers leading the way.
The pair were two of eight prisoners executed overnight, with one of the condemned, Filipino woman Mary Jane Veloso, who, like Andrew and Myuran, was convicted of drug smuggling, given a last-minute reprieve.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott confirmed at a press conference in Canberra this morning that “Australia deeply regrets these executions, they are both cruel and unnecessary.”
He also confirmed that as a consequence of the executions, which they campaigned against, the Government would be withdrawing the Australian ambassador to Indonesia.
“Once all the courtesies have been extended to the Chan and Sukumaran families, the ambassador will be withdrawn for further consultation,” Mr Abbott said.
“Australia respects Indonesia’s system and respects Indonesia’s sovereignty… but our relationship has suffered.”
“Obviously I do regret that while my representatives have been listened to… they have not been heeded. “
A decision yesterday to prevent the men from seeing pastors was overturned late last night, however the pastors were not allowed to accompany the men to their executions. Their families visit times were also extended from the original 2pm finish time to 8pm.
Majell Hind, Australia’s consul general for Bali, will officially take possession of Andrew and Myuran’s bodies. They will then be transported by ambulance to a funeral home in Jakarta.
It took 27 minutes to confirm the deaths of all the prisoners with a spokesperson for the Indonesian Attorney General saying that they were “shot at 00.35 and died at 01.02.”
The eight dead were the two Australians, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, Indonesian Zainal Abidin, Brazilian Rodrigo Gularte, Nigerians Sylvester Obiekwe Nwolise, Raheem Agbaje Salami and Okwudili Oyatanze, Ghanaian Martin Anderson.
An anonymous local police officer at Cilacap, across the water from Nusa Kambangan told the waiting media, “The executions went well, without any disruptions.”
Heartbreaking Tweets posted by Andrew Chan’s brother and Human Rights Lawyer to the men, Todung Mulya Lubis
Andrew’s brother, Michael Chan took to Twitter to express his loss:
“I have just lost a Courageous brother to a flawed Indonesian legal system. I miss you already RIP my Little Brother.”
Human Rights Lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis who acted on behalf of the two Australian men, typed the following heartbreaking words after their deaths were confirmed:
“I failed. I lost.”
“I am sorry.”
The convicted drug smugglers were at the centre of an international campaign for mercy, with thousands of supporters reaching out to the Indonesian President Joko Widodo to grant clemency.
Parliamentary Secretary, to the Foreign Minister Steven Ciobo, tweeted the following in the early hours:
“There are few greater displays of abuse of State power and regressive thinking than the death penalty. #RIP”
Amnesty International, anti-death penalty activists and supports of Andrew and Myuran laid floral tributes at a vigil to ‘Keep Hope Alive’ by Sydney Harbour.
Speaking on ABC’s 7.30 last night, Foreign Minister Bishop described Indonesian treatment of Myuran and Andrew and their families as “ghastly” and also said there would be consequences if they were executed.
Referring to the scenes of the families being jostled by the waiting media scrum as they openly sobbed, the Minister said “I’m obviously deeply disturbed at some of the aspects of how this has been handled.”
“I think the ghastly process that the family have been put through today just underscores how chaotic this has been.
“I’m very concerned for the family. They do deserve respect and they do deserve to have dignity shown to them at this time of unspeakable grief.
“But that doesn’t seem to have been extended to them at this time.”
Our thoughts are with the families of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan at this difficult time.
Myuran and Andrew’ s brothers Chinthu Sukumaran and Michael Chan made a plea to President Joko Widodo via the assembled media after their brothers’ final execution dates were handed down.
