A recent news article from the Weekend Australian points to the fact that some people are allowing the Schapelle Corby incident to affect their decision to come to Bali. What started out a threat, then a rumor has apparently become a reality.
People are driven by logic and emotion. The strongest one of those forces is emotion. The best one to follow is logic. When people buy into something on an emotional level it is hard to detach and anybody who criticizes that decision is seen as a Bloody bastard. Take any issue you want, the Bali bombing, abortion, the Gulf War. If you buy into the Fighting the good fight in Iraq, then criticism can seem like a slap in the face for the brave troops. Whereas in reality it is the brave troops who opponents of the Gulf War want to save from getting killed.
Back to Bali. The court in Denpasar can only act according to the evidence at hand. Corby was at large for probably 1 hour in Indonesia before she was arrested, that was from the time she disembarked to passing through customs with a bag full of drugs. The police here simply did not have any other people / evidence to study. All the dirty work took place in Australia outside of their jurisdiction. Possibilities of corrupt airport staff / relatives/ friends / mafia / corrupt cops / drug-running gone wrong etc. are always a possibility, but to enter them as evidence you have to join the dots and have some supporting facts. Sentencing guidelines are what the court looks at. Here in Indonesia marijuana is a Class A drug, along with cocaine and heroin.
I think the 3 things that should happen are that AFP should keep investigating and offer a substantial reward for evidence that leads to the arrest of the real culprits. The Australian government should get a promise that new evidence will be looked at if it appears and hopefully Corby will be able to serve her sentence in Australia, where conditions are more humane.
Maybe I will get to interview Schappelle soon in Keroboban jail. In the mean time keep coming to Bali.
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Australians have always been on the side of the ‘battler’ The Tsunami support has demonstrated our overwhelming generosity and belief that the world is still a good place to live in, despite hardship and adversity. What has happened in Bali has now changed all understanding. Indonesia is to be pitied,if anything. Look at what they will now miss out on! The judiciary system which dates back to the harsh Dutch System, will now be held accountable for the livelihood of so many people who depend upon our money in order to exist. What a sad situation! Indonesia, wake up to yourself!!!! Are there any educated people amongst you, who can understand what is going to happen as a result of your ignorance?????? For God’s sake, free that poor innocent woman before many lives suffer more. I don’t know how to say this in a Muslim way, but surely Allah would also not be impressed with his flock in Indonesia at the moment!
Australians have always been on the side of the ‘battler’ The Tsunami support has demonstrated our overwhelming generosity and belief that the world is still a good place to live in, despite hardship and adversity. What has happened in Bali has now changed all understanding. Indonesia is to be pitied,if anything. Look at what they will now miss out on! The judiciary system which dates back to the harsh Dutch System, will now be held accountable for the livelihood of so many people who depend upon our money in order to exist. What a sad situation! Indonesia, wake up to yourself!!!! Are there any educated people amongst you, who can understand what is going to happen as a result of your ignorance?????? For God’s sake, free that poor innocent woman before many lives suffer more. I don’t know how to say this in a Muslim way, but surely Allah would also not be impressed with his flock in Indonesia at the moment!
Australians have always been on the side of the ‘battler’ The Tsunami support has demonstrated our overwhelming generosity and belief that the world is still a good place to live in, despite hardship and adversity. What has happened in Bali has now changed all understanding. Indonesia is to be pitied,if anything. Look at what they will now miss out on! The judiciary system which dates back to the harsh Dutch System, will now be held accountable for the livelihood of so many people who depend upon our money in order to exist. What a sad situation! Indonesia, wake up to yourself!!!! Are there any educated people amongst you, who can understand what is going to happen as a result of your ignorance?????? For God’s sake, free that poor innocent woman before many lives suffer more. I don’t know how to say this in a Muslim way, but surely Allah would also not be impressed with his flock in Indonesia at the moment!
Australians have always been on the side of the ‘battler’ The Tsunami support has demonstrated our overwhelming generosity and belief that the world is still a good place to live in, despite hardship and adversity. What has happened in Bali has now changed all understanding. Indonesia is to be pitied,if anything. Look at what they will now miss out on! The judiciary system which dates back to the harsh Dutch System, will now be held accountable for the livelihood of so many people who depend upon our money in order to exist. What a sad situation! Indonesia, wake up to yourself!!!! Are there any educated people amongst you, who can understand what is going to happen as a result of your ignorance?????? For God’s sake, free that poor innocent woman before many lives suffer more. I don’t know how to say this in a Muslim way, but surely Allah would also not be impressed with his flock in Indonesia at the moment!
Australians have always been on the side of the ‘battler’ The Tsunami support has demonstrated our overwhelming generosity and belief that the world is still a good place to live in, despite hardship and adversity. What has happened in Bali has now changed all understanding. Indonesia is to be pitied,if anything. Look at what they will now miss out on! The judiciary system which dates back to the harsh Dutch System, will now be held accountable for the livelihood of so many people who depend upon our money in order to exist. What a sad situation! Indonesia, wake up to yourself!!!! Are there any educated people amongst you, who can understand what is going to happen as a result of your ignorance?????? For God’s sake, free that poor innocent woman before many lives suffer more. I don’t know how to say this in a Muslim way, but surely Allah would also not be impressed with his flock in Indonesia at the moment!
Australians have always been on the side of the ‘battler’ The Tsunami support has demonstrated our overwhelming generosity and belief that the world is still a good place to live in, despite hardship and adversity. What has happened in Bali has now changed all understanding. Indonesia is to be pitied,if anything. Look at what they will now miss out on! The judiciary system which dates back to the harsh Dutch System, will now be held accountable for the livelihood of so many people who depend upon our money in order to exist. What a sad situation! Indonesia, wake up to yourself!!!! Are there any educated people amongst you, who can understand what is going to happen as a result of your ignorance?????? For God’s sake, free that poor innocent woman before many lives suffer more. I don’t know how to say this in a Muslim way, but surely Allah would also not be impressed with his flock in Indonesia at the moment!
Australians have always been on the side of the ‘battler’ The Tsunami support has demonstrated our overwhelming generosity and belief that the world is still a good place to live in, despite hardship and adversity. What has happened in Bali has now changed all understanding. Indonesia is to be pitied,if anything. Look at what they will now miss out on! The judiciary system which dates back to the harsh Dutch System, will now be held accountable for the livelihood of so many people who depend upon our money in order to exist. What a sad situation! Indonesia, wake up to yourself!!!! Are there any educated people amongst you, who can understand what is going to happen as a result of your ignorance?????? For God’s sake, free that poor innocent woman before many lives suffer more. I don’t know how to say this in a Muslim way, but surely Allah would also not be impressed with his flock in Indonesia at the moment!
Yeah Amanda, you’re right, you can go to Malaysia with 4 kg weed, and you won’t have a chance to live in no time, they’ll hung you.
jack smith
Just a note… the bali bombers Amrozy and friends mostly got the death penalty.. more than a slap on the wrist actually. Basyir was not sentenced for the Bali Bombing, he was sentenced for immigration violations. They suspect he was connected to the bali bombers, at least ’spiritually’ for example as a muse or an ‘inspiration’ but his involvement has yet to be proven. Maybe more people should learn the facts before jumping on the band wagon… how many Australians keep saying the ‘justtice system in Bali’ as if they don’t even realize that Bali is part of Indonesia and is subject to the Indonesian laws… not Balinese laws. The Balinese say Amrozy should just be let out of Kerobokan Jail…. ‘yeah just let him out on the street” He wouldn’t last 5 minutes, cause they would kill him immediately! Check your facts people!
In light of Corby, how could anyone even think to traveling to Bali.
What is so special about Bali that makes it the clear choice for my vacation?
I say no to “Shang highed in Bali hai”
That works for me!!!
Frank,
you dont have to come to Bali if you dont like. It’s your own business. Just don’t insult them.
I say let the punishment fit the crime.I can understand why importation and distribution of Heroin is a Capital crime. (Not in the land of OZ thankfully)It is LETHAL. However Marijuana has NO KNOWN LETHAL dose.To lump these two drugs together is ignorant I don’t care what country you are in.Not differentiating between drugs is a point of law the Indonesians need to look at.
This Corby case has simply shown everyone concerned the differences in our cultures. The truth is Australians smoke pot.
Indonesians smoke pot.It is illegal in both countries, it’s just that the laws are SOOOOO different, attitudes are different, public opinion is different.I don’t know if Schapelle is guilty or not ,makes no difference, it’s simply that Indonesians have harsher laws that don’t make sense in realistic terms from an Australian point of view. This may never change.As for the poor Balinese, I feel sorry for them. They will be financially punished for Indonesian laws they have no power to change.
I say let the punishment fit the crime.I can understand why importation and distribution of Heroin is a Capital crime. (Not in the land of OZ thankfully)It is LETHAL. However Marijuana has NO KNOWN LETHAL dose.To lump these two drugs together is ignorant I don’t care what country you are in.Not differentiating between drugs is a point of law the Indonesians need to look at.
This Corby case has simply shown everyone concerned the differences in our cultures. The truth is Australians smoke pot.
Indonesians smoke pot.It is illegal in both countries, it’s just that the laws are SOOOOO different, attitudes are different, public opinion is different.I don’t know if Schapelle is guilty or not ,makes no difference, it’s simply that Indonesians have harsher laws that don’t make sense in realistic terms from an Australian point of view. This may never change.As for the poor Balinese, I feel sorry for them. They will be financially punished for Indonesian laws they have no power to change.
BOYCOTT BALI?
Well in 2004 Indonesian students in Australia are about 20.000 students.
According to Melbourne Univ, standard cost of living of international student per month is: (in AU$ excluding travel allowance, visa, college fee, etc.)
- living allowance: $250
- lodging : $1000
- meals : $400
- insurance : $30
- books and supplies: $50
- person. expenses: $200
- local transport: $60
- tuition fee : $2000
So it makes:
AU$ 3740 per MONTH/student.
And total per YEAR for 20.000 students:
almost AU$ 1 billion per YEAR.
I must remind you that international students must pay more than locals for tuition fee.
If Australians boycott Bali, so Indonesians will react and are afraid to go to Australia for a bad treatment possibility there. The worst, Indonesians will boycott Australia also and not to send their children there. So, who’s gonna lose from this boycott competition? BOTH. Boycotting each other is not necessary and I consider it fool. We need each other, didn’t Adam Smith and David Ricardo tell you about that longtime ago?
Annie, as it has been mentioned by my fellow Indonesian here, Wisnu, that we must consider the situation. Indonesia is considerably poor country, far different from Australia. There’re not many rehabilitation center for drugs addicted. Even though marijuana cannot kill people, can you imagine what happens if a poor Indonesian addicted by it? Ok, I let you know: this poor people will be addicted. And since he couldn’t afford financially to support this habit, he turns to be a criminal. He can be become a thief, drugs dealer, robber, etc. Who lose him? Not only the family, but also the society in general. Government drugs rehabilitation center? Oohh don’t mind it, better to feed tsunami victims than those stupids. Please look at the context, most of us consider drugs is more dangerous than killer. You kill people, one goes to heaven. You give drugs to people, many will be lost. misery the whole life. Why? Because we’re poor.
I for one will never travel to a country where your life is taken away for possessing a sack of dried leaves while leaders of organizations responsible for many deaths go free.
Seems a bit harsh to me, but it’s their country. As for me I’ll stay out of it.
… Somewhere in the U.S.A.
Australians are getting sick and tired of dealing with foriegn cultures disregarding our good and compassionate natures to only help those foreign cultures in life threatening situations.
To make change peaceful but persistant pressure can be the best way to make change, the damage to the balinese tourist industry is already done. This is peacefull protest and fair.
Until balinese people of high office can understand love and compassion and not their own bankbooks, Australians will not have anything to do with balinese people, we will not harm them, or actually let any harm come to innocent citizens. But all Australians have developed a good sense of honesty because of a good honest culture here in Australia.
Balinese people should consider this particularly those calling for scapelles death outside our embassy in jakarta.
They should not prey upon our good will.
an honest australian citizen
All this talk about fingerprints on bags, hasn’t anyone ever heard of gloves, I believe they are used to mask fingerprints. I was once busted here in Aus for possesion of quite a bit of pot, some of it was in bags and guess what the Aus police did not dust the bags for prints. One copper actually told me they only get the forensic boy’s out of the office for murder case’s. I am also a surfer are you trying to tell me that a surfer could pick his bag up and not realise it had gained 4 kg in wieght. Every surfer I know checks his gear as soon as he gets it to make sure the baggage handlers have not broken anything. She is not a surfer. Where else has she surfed? Ask her about the winds needed to produce a good wave at her local surf break, I bet she dosn’t have a clue. She is not a surfer. Oh yeah do the math 4 kg of pot at 20 dollars a gram, these are Aus prices, sold to Aus backpackers in Bali is 80,000 dollars Aus. Now that does make for a nice holiday for a beauty school student. I repeat she is not a surfer. Baggage handlers running pot through airport security you must be joking, most growers I know put it in the boot of a car and drive it and guess what they get away with it every time, do you know why because they don’t have to go through security checks or walk past cameras and when was the last time you ever got pulled over in your car if you were not breaking a road rule. I must admit that smuggling it through airports sounds like amuch safer option…not!
Netmoth,
Look who?s talking, someone from a country where detaining someone like David Hicks, an Australian, indefinitely WITHOUT CHARGE since more than 3 years in your five star Guantanamo Bay Hotel with its mistreatment of their prisoners, and he said he?ll stay out of it?.?!! Well well, on top of it in Guantanamo they don?t give their prisoners even the right to a trial nor the benefit of being able to cry and plead their case on TV?..
Now I understand what you really mean about justice? Such a treatment is acceptable in your country but not acceptable in other countries right?. Sounds cool?
Netmoth,
Look who’s talking, someone from a country where detaining someone like David Hicks, an Australian, indefinitely WITHOUT CHARGE since more than 3 years in your five star Guantanamo Bay Hotel with its mistreatment of their prisoners, and he said he’ll stay out of it….?!! Well well, on top of it in Guantanamo they don’t give their prisoners even the right to a trial nor the benefit of being able to cry and plead their case on TV…..
Now I understand what you really mean about justice… Such a treatment is acceptable in your country but not acceptable in other countries right…. Sounds cool…
News flash she is guilty as charged.
do your research her father who may or may not of packed her bag, the story changes every time the media talks to a corby, has got a record in Aus for guess what growing and selling pot. Where does this family get their money. He took a compensation pay out from a mine for the old classic, back pain. The good old honest Corbies. Has this chick ever actually had a real job? All the media can say is that she is a former beauty school student. So everybody, jump on the I feel sorry for a drug pusher band wagon and lets take it out on the Indo people for having the courage to convict a DRUG DEALER against a strong media campaign of racist behavior. If you think that girl is innocent you are too stupid to be let loose on the world stay home and the corbies can make you feel all nice and fuzzy inside. They are an embarrassment to Australians who have a brain.
Oh yeah forgot to mention that I did love her little fainting fit in the court. It reminded me of a celebrity court case going on at the moment in the USA. I can’t come to court at the moment I’ve got a sore back say’s the king of pop and there is no way I would fiddle with little boy’s. I am not a freak I am the king of pop. Corby has been treated fairly and with lenience but maybe we should let her go so she can sell drugs to your children.
John, you are so honest to the extent that you close your eyes to the reality such as the act of terrorism to the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra prior to the event happening OUTSIDE Australian Embassy in Jakarta. And this act of terrorism has been repeated again yesterday. None of this is acceptable or civilized behavior and the responsibility and blame for this hysteria lies solely with the corrupt Australian media who have created an American-style, (”Survivor”-type) reality television drama out of the Schapelle Corby incident.
This has been done because it is good for television ratings and it sells newspapers. It will also make for good sales of the numerous books that will no doubt be written about all of this.
As far as the damage concern for Bali, there are never as many tourists as now for this time of period including Australians. But of course those are decent tourists with brains and obviously different market. So please don’t ever stop boycotting as number of tourists keep on increasing to Bali. In the meantime keep on to be honest..
john or should I say DICK, your words “Australians are getting sick and tired of dealing with foriegn cultures disregarding our good and compassionate natures” tell that to the original people of Aus the Aboriginies.
hey netmoth
how many bags of dried leaves do you know that are worth 80,000 dollars. I see in your fabulous country the USA, people shooting and killing each other over much less sums of money, get it into perspective it wasn’t a couple of cool dudes man, smoking a spliff after a good day in the surf it is organized crime that is interested in making the all mighty dollar, to quote a yank.
this schappalle case is the biggest load of cr*p
Apart from the principle of the matter, and the fact that I feel so badly for Schappelle, I wouldn’t travel to Bali simply because the same thing could happen to me or anyone, and I guess this play’s a big part in people choosing not to go there.
Yes you are right Rochelle, it can happen to you if you’re trying to smuggle drugs into Bali or anywhere else. If you believe it is the airport baggage handlers’ fault, then don’t travel anywhere and don’t even think about taking any plane out of Australia. So stay at home and don’t forget to lock all doors & windows, surely you’ll have a much better and saver holiday.
Tom makes a point. I’m not sure what it is, though!
The real issue that I and people like Rochelle are so concerned about is simply human rights.
Is Schapelle Corby (or any of the other thousands who didn’t get their stories into the paper) guilty or innocent? The plain fact is that we don’t know. What we do know is that every one of them deserves a fair and decent trial. In this case, it did not happen, which throws doubt on all the other cases as well. This particular court decided that what mattered in the trial was only what happened at Denpassar, and that all other evidence was extraneous. It did not seem to matter that evidence of a previous incident, which was officially recorded and confirmed by the Australian Consulate had come to light: that was not admissable. The overall impression was that if something helped the prosecution, it was admissable, but not otherwise.
In an Australian court, under the same circumstances, the court would not have been able to return a guilty verdict, even if they had wanted to. This is because the court would have had to examine all the evidence, regardless of its origin, and if any of that evidence cast doubt on the guilt of the accused, then a not-guilty verdict would have to be returned, regardless of the feelings of the prosecution. The law in Bali is the same: innocent unless proven guilty. Not the other way around as some people seem to think. The court also has to take into account all evidence presented. There is some leeway for the court to decide that a particular piece of evidence is not admissable, for a good reason, such as it having being gathered illegally or immorally. It seems that this court went a little beyond it’s powers in this area. I say this, though, as my opinion, not fact, as Bali law gives the judge far more discretion in this area than Australian law.
When the verdict was handed down and sentence pronounced, the prosecution wanted to appeal because the sentence was too light. Only when it became apparent just how wide-spread the backlash was and how much the tourist numbers dropped did the government decide that the case would be re-tried. Would this have happened if the Bali Minister of Finance not felt the lightening of his wallet? I very much doubt it.
So, would you go to Bali? I wouldn’t. Not because I’m planning on carrying anything illegal - rather because of the possibility that the idiot trying to smuggle in his weekend supply of inner joy panics and drops it into my duty-free shopping bag without me noticing. In Australia, US, or UK, my denial of ownership and the lack of forensic evidence would probably mean my acquital or a slap on the wrist. In Bali, the simple fact that I admit owning the duty-free bag would be sufficient evidence for a death sentence.
You pays your money and you makes your choice, guvnor. I chooses to stay out of Bali!
Hum… I’ve been reading stuff from Corby’s case for so long, and I understand it is a sensitive matter to Australians. Also I’m glad she didn’t got the dead penalty, cause she could, couldn’t she?
But what I really want to say is that Indonesia is a developing country, with a very unique form of democracy, and a very unique legal system. Even in our own developed western countries justice is sometimes blind and terribly unjust.
So, was she framed?… Is she guilty?… I don’t know, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care, but I will not boycott Bali or any other part of Indonesia over it.
Regular Joe in Bali lives from tourism one way or the other, and I can assure you he didn’t framed Corby, so let’s not frame him!
But in the end, traveling to Indonesia will be a personal choice, Richard doesn’t want to go, and I honestly understand is fears… I just accept the risk, cause I believe they are minimal!
I just hope in a near future Indonesia will have a more clearly legal system.
Just for the record, I’m Portuguese, so, has every Portuguese strongly defended the East Timor cause for a long time. Even so I hold no resentment on Indonesians and am traveling to Bali in the end of the month. I’m very angry with General Wiranto and the militias, but the past is the past and we must learn to move on. The Indonesian people is not guilty of the occupation has it is not guilty of Corby’s incarceration.
Well, a big hug (we are hug persons here in Portugal) to Australia… another country I would loooove to travel to.
hello i am a year 12 student doing Stage 2 tourism. as a part of my final investigation, i am doign a report on how the Schapelle Corby case has affected tourism to Bali. i would be very much appreciated if you could send my your opinions on whether you think bali tourism has been affected by the case. any statistics or graphs would be agreta help too. if you would like to help me, (my report is due in three weeks and i am having trouble finding the right information) please email me on alarni.nunn@mghs.sa.edu.au
I won’t go to any country that can’t guarantee my safety and a fair trial. This case has shown that Bali has no concern for the treatment of tourist or citizens who aren’t given a fair trial or decent prison conditions. That has nothing personally to do with Bali or its people, but maybe by not traveling there, the government will be forced to deal with it’s corrupt and unfair policies. This will in turn help both tourists and citizens accused of a crime, and create a fairer Bali with prisons that don’t involve inhumane treatment and torture. I apply the same logic to counties like Aruba, Thailand, Singapore, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, etc. Personally the safety of myself, my family, and my friends is my number one concern. If that is a risk you are willing to take, that is your choice. I don’t see this as a boycott just common sense. There are beautiful beaches in safer countries - I’ll stick to them.
leave her alone shes cool
Hey there is something funny going on with this woman. She fraternizes with druggies, goes back and forth from Oz to Indo…slips dough to security, has relatives in the surfbrd game in Indo and still takes a surfbrd with her with drugs in it. While stirring the publics emotion with her impressive visual performance.
the brother did it you now????????????????????????
No, Ellee, it was the Flying Doctors who did it.
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