More Schapelle Corby News...

On the Schapelle Corby front, it might be fair to say that, when it rains it pours! Although, what follows is not really news, rather it is a desperate lawyer looking to remain relevant and seemingly concerned that she might be being overshadowed by her Indonesian equivalent, Iskandar Nawing.

Kerry Smith-Douglas, who acts on behalf of the Corby family in Australia and who also appears to be the spokesperson, has gone on the record to describe how the Australian Prime Minister needs to intervene and bring Schapelle Corby home.

Now according to Smith-Douglas the clemency appeal appears destined to fail as the chances of success are slim. The basis of her claims are that Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, or SBY, has had the Supreme Court recommendations on the clemency appeal since July 2010 and has not yet acted on them. In fact, there is ongoing speculation as to what the recommendations actually were. However, the most likely among the theories being bandied about is that the recommendations include a significant cut in the Corby sentence, perhaps 10 years.

Aside from the Prime Minister, Smith-Douglas has also written to the Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd. She has also written to the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, and the Shadow Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop. What is interesting is what Smith-Douglas is expecting these Australian politicians to do. Is she expecting that they are going to jump up and down and start wagging their collective fingers at SBY and any other Indonesian politician who might listen, saying "hand out girl over or suffer the consequences of our wrath".

Perhaps Smith-Douglas is expecting that Australia will seek to intervene in Indonesia's sovereign affairs. Maybe she could recommend that the PM and FM, whilst wagging their fingers, threaten to send in the Special Air Service (SAS) and break her out of Kerobokan. After all she is asking the PM to be firm with the Indonesian President and to put diplomatic protocols aside. I would love to be a fly on the wall watching Julia go toe-to-toe with SBY.

Ultimately, the Smith-Douglas letter plays the old "Schapelle's mental state is so fragile that she is hanging by a thread" followed with "her life is in your hands". The truth and the reality is that Schapelle has been hanging by a thread for so long now that people might start to wonder why it has not broken. There is no doubting that Ms. Corby is not the same person who went into prison, prison does that to you. It also seems that it is a fair call to say that she has suffered mentally as a consequence of being in the big house, but prison does that to you too.

Yet, the truth, and the reality, is that Schapelle Corby has been diagnosed by her Indonesian doctors with severe depression and is being treated.

Now, exactly what is it that Ms. Smith-Douglas wants the government to do for Schapelle above and beyond what they do for any Australian incarcerated overseas?

The mind boggles.

Schapelle Corby To Be Released?

I have not written on Ms. Corby's case or the "suffering" she is 'enduring' in Kerobokan prison on the holiday paradise island of Bali in my second home of Indonesia. There is no reason for this other than there not being anything newsworthy or of note to write about until now.

The latest news is a push seemingly by Corby's Indonesian lawyer, Iskandar Nawing, presumably on the insistence of the Corby family. The reality is that the Indonesian president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono or SBY to his mates, has had the clemency appeal since July 2010 and has yet to act on it. I suppose I could speculate as to why that is, but I won't for now. I will wait and see what comments, if any, get made to this post.

There has been no official statement from the Indonesian Supreme Court, at least as far as I recall (note to self: go back and check through files), that says exactly what the Supreme Court recommendation was. But, most pundits believe that the recommendation was for a sentence cut of 10 years on the original 20-year sentence. Under Indonesian law a prisoner becomes eligible for parole after having served 2/3 of their sentence. Corby has been in jail for about 6.5 years and as such she would be getting close to making an application for release.

Parole, like anywhere else, can be complicated by a number of issues. As such the application for release would be assessed against a whole range of criteria including not only the prisoners behaviour during their incarceration, but also what is in the best interest of the prisoner and their state of health.

It would seem that Nawing's push is a clear attempt to get some resolution on the clemency appeal by trying to force SBY's hand. However, it is interesting that no one is talking about why SBY has not signed off on the recommendation.

Indonesian Actors & Actresses to be Drug Tested...

Actors and actresses are just like anyone else in the community, they have their demons to confront. Sometimes these demons are legal like alcohol sometimes they are illegal like recreational drugs and narcotics. Yet, until yesterday it seemed unlikely that Indonesian actors and actresses were going to be subjected to mandatory drug testing prior to being permitted to work in film or television.

It would be interesting to see a statistical analysis as to whether actors are any more susceptible to drug use than the rest of the Indonesian community. The reality is that a celebrity with a drug addiction or a celebrity caught in possession of drugs and looking at jail time is far more news worthy in terms of shifting papers and selling advertising than is a young kampung girl newly arrived in the big city. Maybe the reporting of celebrity-linked drug offenses serves to distort the seriousness of the problem.

According to the Chief Detective of the Jakarta Police, Anjan Pramuka Putra, the Indonesian Film Actors Guild (Parfi) has requested police assistance in conducting urine tests on actors. In some cases the results may indicate that the actor or actress tested has taken an illicit substance, but the reality is that acting is not a sport and it is unlikely that taking drugs is going to improve performance. In fact, a drug addiction is likely to impact negatively on the ability to work or maintain consistent performance.

For example, an actor or actress may take steroids in an attempt to "buff up" for a role, or to transform their appearance, and in so doing breach the prevailing laws and regulations. Yet, is the intent of the Parfi request to catch all those using any scheduled prescription, recreational or illegal drugs or is it just to catch those with addictions to drugs like shabu-shabu (crystal meth), marijuana, heroin, or ecstasy.

I wonder whether actors and actresses are going to be supportive of the Parfi request. Is it possible that there will be a mass exodus of Parfi members or some kind of actors strike in protest of this invasion of their privacy, particularly considering a urine sample can be tested for a whole lot more things than just to find those using drugs.

Should we be concerned that this is just the first step in mandatory random drug testing for everybody irrespective of who they are or what they do. For example, can prospective employers demand a candidate for a position at their company undertake a drug test as part of the interview process. Or, can the government demand a drug test to be taken before providing a government benefit or paying a tax return. The mind boggles at the possibilities.

Miley Cyrus and the Salvia Sessions...

I have to offer my sincere thanks to Ms. Miley Cyrus for reminding me of this interesting Mexican herb with the hallucinogenic properties. I wrote a couple of blog posts on Salvia way back when. Salvia is illegal in Australia with respect to possession for the purposes of smoking it and getting stoned. Australia was one of the first, if not the first, countries to ban salvia. However, my understanding is that salvia, despite its hallucinogenic effects, is classed as a herb in the US and it is legal to possess it and presumably smoke it, if one so desires.

Now, as a role model, although I am not sure what kind of role model she is, Miley Cyrus probably does not want to be promoting smoking, particularly smoking herbs that take you to some pretty weird and way out there places. Just do a search of salvia on YouTube and see what pops up.

Nevertheless, it is important to note that she has not in fact broken any laws in the state of California where this video was allegedly shot. How the video came to light is a case of alleged theft of a friends video camera. You can watch a reasonable copy of the video here.

Interestingly, Dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, took to Twitter to profess his disappointment in his daughter's actions. He also intimated that there were some things beyond his control right now. That, Mr. Cyrus, seems to be a pretty good candidate for understatement of the month. In any event, Mr. Cyrus, your daughter is 18-years-old and is legal, and legally if she wants to smoke herbs then she can do so. Whether it is smart to be a smoker at such a young age, or any age for that matter, is an irrelevant point to whether you have, or could conceivably gain, some sort of control over Miley's actions.

Let's face it, you, Mr. Cyrus were initially in favour of a provocative photo shoot that saw an underage Miley Cyrus doing a topless shoot. Hmmm, control, yeah, right!

There is also a copy of the video here.

In the end, perhaps if it is a role model she wants to be, then maybe parents might want to start using the emerging train wreck that could become Miley Cyrus, the adult, as how not to do things. That said, perhaps the lesson is about managing fame and fortune while protecting a wholesome and commercial image.

I Tried Cocaine...And Lived!

I tried cocaine, the energy drink, and lived!

It was certainly an experience, and not one that I will be repeating anytime soon. Not even really clever marketing would get me to try this drink again. To be honest, with so many energy drink options to choose from I am certain that I will find another one that is a little easier on the palette.

I am not even sure that I can honestly say that I am glad that I tried it so that I will never die wondering.

The Elephant in the Room -- Erectile Dysfunction...

I have been watching a little bit of the idiot box while tapping away on the laptop. I have just noticed that in every single advertisement break there is a Pfizer advertisement for erectile dysfunction. Pfizer are responsible for the introduction of that little blue pill (aka Viagra).

Anyway, the advertisement is pretty funny. The bloke goes to the doctor for some "other" reason. The doctor then asks the patient whether there is anything else he can help out with. The patient ums and ahs for a while, and then you see the patient getting nudged by this huge trunk. So, the elephant in the room makes his presence known. Essentially, the advertisement is one that suggests that there is nothing to be ashamed of when the time comes to ask for a little assistance of the pharmaceutical kind to keep your end of the bargain up (so to speak).

The advertisement is very clever.

However, I was wondering, is erectile dysfunction really the elephant in the room?  If it ever happens to you, or someone you know, would it be difficult to go to the local general practitioner (GP) and say "hey doc, it is not happening if you know what I mean...what do you suggest?"

And, while we are on the subject...as I was looking for images to attach to this post I turned up other "products" as well. There is a real demand for these kind of drugs. I have learned on my research that Cialis (Tadalafil) is known as the weekender. And, if neither of those work then there is Levitra (Vardenafil).

Serial Killers Marrying Drug Dealers....

I am not sure that this is an only in Indonesia scenario, but this particular story is out of Indonesia. Yet, no matter, as the very idea is worthy of a blog post.

It appears that Verry Idham Henyahsyah, aka Ryan, who came to fame as a gay serial killer sentenced to death for the murder of 11 people, is not set to get married to a woman. It is all a little weird but, then again, not so weird. It is not unheard of gay men to marry women for myriad of different reasons. I think this is a little weird because Ryan was sentenced to death for his crimes and is awaiting execution in Kesambi Prison in Cirebon.

The weirdness for me is a personal one. I have never really understood why women meet, fall in love and ultimately want to (or do) marry men on death row. I guess I just need to read a little more widely, I am sure the literature is out there somewhere.

Ryan argues that marrying the recently released drug dealer, Eny Wijaya, fits his personal philosophy that marriages is the process of regenerating life. Maybe I need to read more widely on the nature and nurture debate as it relates to serial killers; are they born or bred?

The other reason Ryan feels it necessary for him as an openly gay man to marry a woman is that it would makes his mother happy. It seems Ryan's mum really wants him to get married.

Normally, people would want to wish you a long, happy, and fruitful marriage together, but I wonder what is the "right" thing to say to a fellow that is sitting on death row with respect to marriage? Let's face it, he might not know the exact date of his death, but Ryan does know that the final walk to the firing squad is going to happen, and it is going to happen sooner rather than later.

Ho hum...

"Sexual Deviation"...

I figure that if it is good enough for The Jakarta Globe then it is good enough for me.

It seems that The Jakarta Globe has opted for the sensational headline as a means of getting people to read. I figure, I will just use it to see if I can get a bounce in my visitor numbers. That said, The Jakarta Globe has translated "penyimpangan seks" as sexual disorder, whereas I reckon that it is sexual deviation. penyimpangan normally is used to refer to things that are a little out of what is considered to be "normal" or "regular" practice. In this case, it would refer to things like group sex, anal sex, masturbation, and oral sex (see, I am using these words only so people searching for them will get hits from their respective search engines that bring them here).

Onto the substance, not of sexual deviation but the arrest of Ibra Azhari. Ibra is the brother of Ayu, Sarah, and Rahma Azhari all sexpots in their own right. I would reckon if I searched my blog that I would probably have written something on all of them.

Ibra was arrested along with his wife. He was in the process of picking up some pre-ordered methamphetamine from a former cell mate. Yes, Ibra has done a stretch in the slammer previously for drug related crimes. The most recent transaction was taking place in Denpasar, Bali. After his arrest Ibra was transferred back to Jakarta, West Jakarta to be precise.

In a previous brush with law enforcement, Ibra was prosecuted and sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2003 for cocaine, ecstasy and methamphetamine possession. Then in 2005 a planned raid on his cell in Cipinang Prison in East Jakarta netted more methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. His punishment for this little indiscretion was to be sent to Nusakambangan in Central Java (the last home of the Bali Bombers - Amrozi, Imam Samudra, and Mukhlas - before they were executed by firing squad). Ibra was released in 2009.

It is pretty clear that 2009 minus 2003 is six years. This is a long way short of the fifteen that he was sentenced to. It is also pretty clear that any rehabilitation that he was supposed to receive while in prison did not happen or was a complete failure considering that he is already back in the drugs game.

As an aside...if Ibra did 6 years of a 15-year sentence for drugs then this means that in fairness both Schapelle Corby and Renae Lawrence should do no more than 8 years of their 20-year sentences before they are released and deported back to Australia.

Oh yeah, the title of the post. In his pre-drug crime days, Ibra was a bit of an actor and starred in an Indonesian film titled "Penyimpangan Seks".

Commuting the Sentences of Bali Bombers...

There has been a suggestion by Indonesian prison authorities that two of the Bali Bombers should have their life sentences commuted to 20 years in prison on the basis of their good behaviour since being incarcerated. The pair, Abdul Ghoni and Sawad are unrepentant about their actions and suggest that they believe the three Bali Bombers that have been executed will be forgiven by God, if indeed their actions were wrong. There is no remorse for the killing of 202 people.

These men have not shown that they deserve to have their sentences commuted. The idea that these fellows should ever breathe air as free men again is likely to be objectionable to any one who lost family or friends in the 2002 bombings of the Sari Club and Paddy's.

However, if the Indonesian authorities see fit to commute these sentences from life to 20 years then it only seems reasonable that the authorities also see fit to commute the death sentences of Scott Rush, Myuran Sukumaran, and Andrew Chan to at the very least life in prison. Considering, the drugs these individuals were carrying were destined for Australia and were not likely to be killing any Indonesians then it makes sense that their death penalties be commuted to 20 years or so. The others should all have their respective sentences commuted or amended in similar ways.

If Ghoni or Sawad have their sentences commuted, then there is no justifiable reason that the Indonesian authorities and government could make to keep Schapelle Corby in jail for her full sentence.

It is about time that the legal reform movement also took stock of their successes to date, and mapped out a more encouraging road forward. This road must include work on sentencing and remission reform. This is not a case of "if the system ain't broke", but rather a case of the system being irreparably damaged and needing a complete reconfiguration. A simple botox job to remove the wrinkles is no longer a good enough response.

Lindsay Lohan Goes to Rehab...

Lindsay Lohan has been sentenced to 90 days 14 days in jail! No, she was sentenced to 90 days, but overcrowding in the US penal system means that perpetrators of "less" serious (non-violent) crimes tend to do a fraction of the sentence imposed upon them.

Yes, that's right folks, 90 days became 14 days and the remainder to supposedly be served in a rehab center. Now, for some rehab is probably not all that different from jail. Nevertheless, the girl was sentenced to 90 days and it would have been reasonable to expect that she would have seen a few more days behind bars than the mere 14 that she ended up doing. This is particularly so considering that she was given ample opportunities to mend her ways. Ultimately, she was sentenced to prison time for violations of her strict probation conditions.

In the end, Lohan did less time than Michelle Rodriguez (of Lost fame) and Paris Hilton.

I wonder if anyone is running a book as to how long it will be before she is in trouble again?

Revaldo -- Recreational Use or Addiction?

Some people never learn, and one of those who has not learnt his lesson after some prison time for drug possession is Fifaldi Suria Permana. Permana is a bit of a sinetron star and goes by the name of Revaldo (not to be confused with Ronaldo, either Christian Ronaldo or Ronaldo Ronaldo :D). This is the second time that Revaldo has been stung in possession of methamphetamines.

If Indonesia had a 3-strike rule he would certainly be on the bubble of a very long custodial sentence. Considering, the first time around he went for a 2-year stint in the slammer, a second offence so soon after teh first would seemingly warrant a longer sentence. At least, anecdotally, it would appear that Revaldo has a drug problem  that might be better handled with an rehabilitation intervention as opposed to another stint in the hole.

I am not a meth user, so I have absolutely no idea how much is a lot and how much is a little. However, the West Jakarta police allegedly caught young Revaldo with 50 grams of meth in his possession. Interestingly, the police revealed that they were tipped off about Revaldo heading out to meet his deal for a hit. The police followed him, allowed the transaction to happen, ans then pounced on their man. According to the police, Revaldo tried to make a run for it, but the car chase was over before it begun and Revaldo was arrested.

The police are referring to Revaldo as a three-dimension player. Apparently, a three-dimension player is one who enjoys some wacky weed, a few E, and then some methamphetamines to top it all off. Supposedly, this is a common thing in Indonesia as users look for increasingly better and more sustained 'hits'.

Yet, the kicker is in the police making public that they are watching 22 other celebrities. Now, if you are a celebrity and a user, you have to be wondering whether the police are looking at you...sounds like a good recipe for some paranoia!

So, is Revaldo an addict or just an unlucky recreational user who just seems to be prone to getting caught?

Getting it Wrong -- Should the Police Apologise?

It is good form to apologise when you make a mistake. However, to apologise, you must first acknowledge that you have made a mistake, then publicly state that you have made a mistake, and then say that very simple word, 'sorry'.

There is always two sides to any story. It would be interesting to see what the police's side of this story is because it must be good enough that it warranted the action that they took. Otherwise, there needs to be some disciplining taking place of the officers that allowed this case to go forward even after the mistake was identified and the realisation was made that this case would be dismissed.

The case is a simple one of over-zealous police failing to rectify a mistake once that mistake was identified. Lisa Maree Boersma, a swimwear designer and part-time model took a holiday to the US.

While she was there she left her car in the care of her boyfriend who just happens to be a bodybuilder. On her return from the US she found the drug squad police surrounding her car, a black BMW.

It turns out the drug police had discovered five one-kilogram bags of white powder and a kilogram of hydrophosphorous acid. To the over-zealous drug police this was already an open and shut case of commercial quantities of methylamphetamine.

This leads to an immediate arrest and charges of being a supplier. If convicted Boersma was looking down the barrel of 25 years in the slammer, bye bye and we will see you in your 50s!

In any event, Ms. Boersma spent 3 days in custody until she could secure bail. The police fought bail. And, to ensure that they could get bail overturned the police decided that they would expedite the powder testing process. The police were obviously very keen to put this beautiful young drug supplier behind bars as quickly as possible and for as long as possible. Nevertheless, this is where this case should have unraveled and the police called it a day.

The testing of the powder revealed that it was caffeine dimethyl sulfone. It sounds much scarier than it really is, but in essence it is nothing more than an over-the-counter caffeine supplement that bodybuilders use. Unfortunately, this is not where this case ended because the police decided that even though the supplement was one that can be legally obtained (red. not against the law to have it), they still needed to pursue this case and refused to drop the charges.

Ultimately, Chief Magistrate, Graeme Henson, of the Downing Centre Local Court took this out of the hands of the police and dismissed the case.

Ms. Boersma is now free to get on with her life. Unfortunately, she does not get to do this with an apology from the NSW Police Force.

Maybe it is time to see, read, and hear the police's version of this case. It would need to be good!

Thus endeth the sermon.

Bali, Drugs, and Australians...

When will Australians learn that carrying drugs in Indonesia is a serious criminal offense? The odds are such that it really is only a matter of time, sooner or later you will get caught out. The penalties that attach to drug offenses reflect the seriousness that Indonesian law enforcement view this issue. If one has any doubts, then have a look at the Schapelle Corby case or those of the Bali Nine. Or, if you are more interested in seeing how you can do as little time as possible for indulging in your excesses, then have a look at the Michele Leslie (or Lee) or Robert McJannett cases (McJannett has indicated that he is petitioning for bankruptcy as his freedom, after a short jail stint, cost him AUD 71,000+).

An Australian, Angus McCaskill, was arrested in the Tuban district in Bali with five packets of cocaine in his possession.

The police have not said whether MCaskill was dealing or whether the cocaine was for personal consumption (red: addiction). This determination will be important in determining how much jail time McCaskill is likely to do. Having not seen the fact sheet it is difficult to say which way his legal representatives should go, but my guess is that if a guilty plea is the option chosen then this will be accompanied by relevant supporting documents to suggest that the fellow is an addict and the drugs were for personal consumption.

This would fall within the gambit of a Supreme Court Circular which directs District Courts to sentence offenders to rehabilitation type facilities or to shorter jail terms where the offenders can get the rehabilitation treatment that they need to be re-integrated into the broader community.

Drugs in Indonesia...

When will foreigners (and some Indonesians) learn? Drug related offenses are considered to be serious criminal offenses that attract harsh penalties. You are not in your country of origin and the standards you might expect may not be available to you. The slap on the wrist you might feel you are entitled to is not likely to be forthcoming just because you are a foreigner.

Three foreign students, and two of their Indonesian friends, were arrested in Bali for marijuana and hashish possession. They are now facing the prospect of four years in the slammer. If played right, they are likely to do 5 - 7 months as drug addicts, and this is likely to be time served as their individual cases are more than likely to play out over 5 months or so.

The urine tests were positive for drugs. Assuming these positive tests related to THC then the appointed lawyers might decide the best course of action is to plead addiction.

Not everything is a stitch-up designed to shake-down the innocent for cash!

The happy snappy is supposedly of law enforcement burning the marijuana and the heroin that sent Schapelle Corby and the Bali Nine to long-term jail sentences and death sentences (for some).

Prisoner Transfer Agreements -- Australia and Indonesia...

The purpose of a Prisoner Transfer Agreement (PTA) is to allow foreign nationals incarcerated overseas to serve out the remaining portion of their sentence in their home countries. A PTA between Australia and Indonesia is something that has been in the pipeline for a while. If you are an Australian or an Indonesian incarcerated in a foreign prison, then that pipeline has been very long to date, and would seem to be a little longer still before there is any light at the end of this pipeline.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marty Natalegawa, has admitted as much. Natalegawa is a talented young diplomat who in a rapidly rising career leading to his appointment as FM held key ambassadorial posts in the UK and at the UN. He is a very intelligent man who is economical in his choice of words and rarely misspeaks. So, when he speaks it is probably worth paying attention to.

So, when Natalegawa said to the Australian Associated Press (AAP) that the negotiations for a PTA had not stalled, but rather taking time as a consequence of Indonesia being new to the PTA game, then that is where the game is at. The PTA will impact on the lives of those prisoners who have not been sentenced to death in an Indonesian court. Unfortunately, for those Australians on death row there is zero chance of them being repatriated to Australia to serve out the remainder of their respective sentences and executed.

However, a PTA will potentially permit the likes of Schapelle Corby and Renae Lawrence to be returned to Australia to serve out the remainder of their custodial sentences in an Australian prison.

The devil is in the detail of a PTA. And, this is where negotiations have slowed to a trickle in the very long pipeline that Natalegawa has alluded to. For example, Indonesia has taken a very strong public international stance on drugs and drug smuggling. Therefore, there are quarters within the Indonesian community that are reluctant to include drug smugglers on the list of prisoners who can be returned under a PTA. There is a fear that Australia does not deal with drugs as harshly as they do in Indonesia. And, they are right, we do not execute people period. That fear is that Corby and Lawrence would be returned to Australia under a PTA and then released shortly after their return.

The details are likely to include specific conditions on how much time is to be served in Australia prior to a release. The difficulty here is that Indonesia works on a remission system where prisoners sentences are cut each year, sometimes twice a year, on religious / national holidays for good behaviour. In contrast, the Australian system works on a head sentence and a non-parole period. Ultimately, the same amount of time will conceivably be served under both situations but these are the sorts of details that need to be hammered out before an agreement can be reached.

Another critical issue still to be agreed is how much time prisoners will be required to serve before becoming eligible for a PTA return to their home country. There have been suggestions that Australians serving time in Indonesian jails will have to do almost 3/4 of their sentence before becoming eligible. However, this is unlikely, assuming those on the Australian side of the debate are knowledgeable and well-informed on the Indonesian system. A person convicted in Indonesia is likely to only do 3/4 of their original sentence, and in all likelihood less than 3/4, with remissions for good behaviour and the like.

The classic example here is none other than the son of the former president (dictator), Tommy Soeharto. Tommy was convicted of a little graft and then the subsequent premeditated murder for hire of a Supreme Court justice. The man ended up doing about 2/3 of his original sentence.

So, in that regard a PTA might not make a lot make a lot of sense for most Australians incarcerated in Indonesia. It is also unlikely that the 3/4 of the sentence demand will be met.

It would seem that a PTA will become a reality in the future, but how far into the future remains to be seen.

Renae "The Protector" Lawrence...

It was with some interest that I read an article by Tom Allard in today's (24/01) Sydney Morning Herald. It was with interest because there are two pieces of relevant information provided in the article.

In Allard's opinion from what he has witnessed during a brief visit is that Schapelle has deteriorated both physically and mentally. Nevertheless, the prospects for an imminent or early release have faded. And, that Renae Lawrence has taken on the role of 'protector'.

The second important piece of 'news' was that Renae Lawrence is pretty angry about the book written by Kathryn Bonella titled "Hotel Kerobokan" which Corby supporters are promoting as the god-given truth of what conditions are like inside. To the contrary, Lawrence claims the book is nothing more than a pack of lies. Of specific concern seems to be the claims that Lawrence frequently indulges in lesbian orgies in her queen-sized bed.

I wonder if Kathryn Bonella is going to come out and defend herself against the claims reported by Lawrence? Simply, if Bonella is not telling the truth about Lawrence as Lawrence claims, then this brings into question the content of the whole book.

The prison authorities have consistently denied that the conditions are as bad as Bonella makes out. In fact, the prison authorities recently held a media open day to highlight the very fact that conditions are not as bad as they are claimed to be. They have also denied that Schapelle is in a desperate place and situation that requires her immediate removal to a mental health facility or her immediate repatriation to Australia.

It will be interesting to see if there is any response to this Tom Allard article from either side of the debate.

Schapelle Corby's Prison Cell...

Here is a picture that allegedly shows Schapelle Corby's cell at Kerobokan Prison. This is the cell that Schapelle Corby shares with six others. This picture, and the accompanying video, has been made available as part of a media open day.

This picture certainly does not seem to fit the hell hole image of life inside Kerobokan as portrayed in the recent book, Hotel Kerobokan, by Kathryn Bonella (an interesting discussion of the book and its merits can be found here). Then again, maybe this is not the cell that Schapelle inhabits. I have never been there, Kerobokan that is.

The video can be found on the Herald Sun website (here).

On this particular post I am going to restrict my views to the comments section. Simply, if anyone comments, then I will respond with what I think. Otherwise, you are free to draw your own conclusions to the picture and the video.

Schapelle Corby -- Depressed and Desperate?

It has been a while since I last wrote a Schapelle Corby related post. There has been no reason for this, other than not being bothered. I am planning on writing a couple (I might do them all in a row now that I am onto it). This particular post was inspired by some email I received asking me what I thought about her deteriorating mental state and whether she should be repatriated to Australia for treatment. It was also inspired by the above recent New Idea cover.

The picture, as they say, tells a thousand words. So, I won't bore you with a thousand more analyzing, but rather, I will just bore you with a few observations.

1. Why is it that New Idea has an exclusive deal with new tidbits of Schapelle Corby related information? Is there a media deal in place? Is Schapelle profiting from this exclusive deal?

2. How does this exclusive deal advance the campaign to bring Schapelle Corby home?

3. A recent report from Dr. Jonathon Phillips stated that Schapelle Corby was severely depressed, harming herself (allegedly cutting herself with a piece of glass), had regressed into a child like state, and who is not likely to survive prison. However, this picture (above) does not paint that scenario, of a desperate and depressed woman, does it?

4. In contrast, her regular doctor, Dr. Thong, has argued that Schapelle Corby is depressed and anxious. But, with medication that is taken as it is prescribed to be, Schapelle Corby can function normally and within the parameters of what is expected of a person in her situation.

5. I have argued pretty consistently that Schapelle Corby has been found guilty and exhausted her appeals, and no amount of rearguing and rehashing the evidence is likely to change this fact. The focus must now be on how to speed up the process of repatriation. I firmly believe that five years is more than enough time for the crime that she has been convicted of. However, a cover such as this one and an open letter to Australians has not seemed to endear her to the wider Australian populace. In fact, popular support seems to be running along the lines of, if you do the crime you must do the time. This is sad, sad for Schapelle Corby.

6. If part of the strategy is to generate support for the idea that Schapelle Corby has done enough time for the crime she has been convicted of, then it is time to broaden the base of appeal. It should not matter whether you think she is innocent or guilty in order to join the movement for repatriation. As long as you think she has done enough time and deserves to be repatriated, then that is enough. Unfortunately, this is not the case. It seems that in order to be a supporter you have to be a true believer in that Schapelle Corby is an innocent victim; a political porn in some geo-political game, where you must toe the single party line.

Perhaps this is why I have not written more frequently. I support the idea that Schapelle Corby has done enough time, but I cannot bring myself to ascribe to the party line. I wonder how many more people like me are out there; people wanting to help, but also turned off by the constant derision from true believers if you are not prepared to declare your support for innocence.

Sad really, very sad.

AIDS and Shariah -- Hizbut Tahrir Style...

Today is World AIDS Day. Today, at least for me, is a day to remember dear friends and to continue to agitate for a brighter future; one that is free of this scourge. It is time that there was not only a vaccine, but a cure, for this virus. It is important to remember that as a community that great strides have been made, but it is more important to remember that the fight is not over. There are still those who advocate ignorance and take the bury your head in the sand approach.

This is why I find news like Hizbut Tahrir in Indonesia advocating the development of an Islamic Caliphate and the immediate implementation of Shariah Law as their main weapon in the fight against HIV / AIDS both amusing and and frighteningly dangerous at the same time. The naivety of an approach that says Shariah law will solve all ills beggars belief, particularly when the insinuation is that HIV / AIDS is a disease of prostitutes, drug users, and homosexuals. Not only is this naive, it is stupid as well. To all intents and purposes, prostitution, illicit drug use, and homosexuality are already illegal in Indonesia. So, the imposition of Shariah law is not going to change the legal framework all that much with respect to these issues. Unless, there is a belief that the punishment would be a sufficient deterrent to all of these situations.

Part of the Hizbut Tahrir push is to close down brothels and ban the use of condoms. Now, if I am not mistaken brothels are generally illegal. And, the authorities tend to periodically close them down. However, the banning of condoms as a means of preventing casual sex is silly at best and negligent at worst.

The Islamic hardliners are also advocating the cancellation of all condom and sex education programs on the belief that if people have no knowledge of sex, and safe sex in particular, then they are less likely to indulge in sex as a past time. Finally, it appears that the protesters believe that Indonesians are rather large consumers of pornography and that this is a trigger for the huge increase in casual sex. The answer, according to Hizbit Tahrir and others is to ban pornography and shut down the porn industry. Ah, if I am not mistaken pornography is already illegal in Indonesia.

Ideas such as this highlight a real lack of understanding of the human condition and the nature of the world that we live in. The reality is that sex and drugs preceded Islam and they will more than likely survive it as well.

Nevertheless, it is a daunting task facing those seeking to educate Indonesians about HIV / AIDS, particularly when a component of the community would have you believe that HIV / AIDS is nothing more than a disease that afflicts those in the sex industry or homosexuals. Indonesia is on the cusp of a pandemic where large-scale transmission from high risk communities begins to pervade the general community.

UNAIDS estimates that there are some 270,000 Indonesians infected with HIV, and that this is the tip of the iceberg in the sense that there is also a belief that there is significant under-reporting of infections. Under-reporting generally stems from the stigma attached to being HIV+ and the idea of singling HIV+ people out is abhorrent.

There is a real danger that HIV / AIDS could become a really big problem for Indonesia. However, the reality is not one that allows us to stick out collective heads in the sand and pretend that there is not really a problem. It requires vision from Indonesia's leaders to face this dilemma head on and make the hard decisions. One of those decisions is that education saves lives.

Perhaps now is a good time to take the excellent work being done by civil society and NGOs in Indonesia, such as Spiritia Foundation and others, mainstream in confronting this scourge. The fight is all about Respect and Protect. Respecting and protecting ourselves and others.

(Photo from here)

Blog Housekeeping -- Word Verification...

Dear All...

It seems that a lot of my posts are getting spammed. Therefore, I have opted to activate word verification. Hopefully, this will reduce the amount of spam I am getting about buying pirated DVDs and CDs from Russia and other places, as well as medications from all over the globe. After all, there is only so much Viagra and Cialis that one man can use :D

Hopefully, you all will get to enjoy the rest of your Friday and have a nice weekend to boot.