1,400 Police Secure Execution Site, All 8 Sang Together Until Shot

By Jeralyn, Section Foreign Affairs
Posted on Wed Apr 29, 2015 at 08:01:00 AM EST
Tags: Bali, Bali Nine, Indonesia (all tags)

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Central Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Noer Ali says Indonesia used 1,400 police personnel to secure the executions of the 8 non-violent drug offenders yesterday. This doesn't include military personnel who were also involved.

As I've written before, Indonesia was obsessed with security, to the point where they used four fighter jets armed with sidewinder missiles and a fully equipped navy warship to move the two Australians, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan from one island to another. [More...]

What was behind the obsessive security? Apparently, Indonesia President Joko Widodo's pride and nationalism.

So much preparation in the face of so much world-wide objection. It seems like just pride and nationalism at work, by a newly elected President who's been catching heat for being too weak in dealing with corrupt officials.

The Jakarta Post in an editorial today chastised President Widido for the "unnecessary circus."

In related news, Father John Burrows, who attended the executions as the spiritual advisor for the mentally ill Brazilian, Rodrigo Gularte, said all 8 convicts refused blindfolds and chose to look their killers in the eye.

Father Charles Burrows, who provided spiritual guidance to condemned Brazilian man Rodrigo Gularte, said the men met their fate without blindfolds, staring straight ahead.
"Everyone was looking forward, it seems everyone accepted their fate," Father Burrows said.

As to Gularte's mental state: