CHRISTIAN AND MUSLIM LEADERS’ JOINT STATEMENT IN MERCY PLEA FOR BALI NINE PAIR
Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP and Grand Mufti, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammad of the Australian National Imams Council have jointly called for clemency for Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran who are facing imminent execution by firing squad in Bali.
Their statement, issued today is below.
As leaders in the Muslim and Christian communities in Australia, the Grand Mufti Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammad of the Australian National Imams Council and I as Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney today issue a joint public plea of mercy to the President of Indonesia for Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran whose executions are believed to be imminent.
We do not question their guilt. We do not question the seriousness of their crime. We certainly do not question the sovereignty of the Indonesian nation.
That is not why we are here together today. We acknowledge that illegal drugs tear at the social fabric of all communities and we applaud the efforts of the Indonesian government to protect its society – and indeed ours – from drug smuggling. So we do not question the legitimacy of the verdicts against Andrew and Myuran.
Our plea today to the President and people of Indonesia is on the basis of their apparent remorse and repentance for a crime they committed nearly ten years ago. By all accounts Andrew and Myuran have come to appreciate clearly the gravity of their crimes. These Sydney-born men have had a long time to think about what they have done while in Kerobakan Prison – and on death row. Both men have been studying and helping other prisoners.
Our request today is for clemency or a commuted sentence for Andrew and Myuran so as to allow them to be further rehabilitated and to make reparation to the communities they betrayed by their crimes. Execution would prematurely end these lives robbing both them and our communities of the opportunity for ongoing repentance and rehabilitation.
Please join the Grand Mufti and me in prayer that our plea of mercy to the Indonesian government for Andrew and Myuran may be heard.