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Bali 9 executions: Final insult as condemned pair denied pastor, outraging families
Sydney Morning Herald - April 28, 2015
In heartbreaking scenes, the families of the condemned men arrived at the port of Cilacap on Tuesday morning for their last visit to Nusakambangan prison island, surrounded by friends.
They left the port at 9.30am local time (12.30pm AEST) and will be allowed to stay on the island until 2pm local time, when they will have to say their final goodbyes and return to the mainland.
Sukumaran's sister Brintha collapsed as she wailed in grief, surrounded by a large media pack. His mother Raji was also deeply distraught.
Chan's family arrived soon after, protected by embassy officials. Brother Michael was ashen faced, his mother Helen covered her face as she sobbed.
As they walked to the port, police with dogs tried to break up the media pack, with at least one journalist bitten on the leg.
Within an hour of the families' distressing and chaotic walk to Cilacap port, a convoy of 12 ambulances arrived. Inside nine of them were white coffins for each of those to be executed.
Adding to the anguish was news Chan and Sukumaran would not get their choice of minister. In an SMS, Michael Chan told Fairfax Media: "Last bit of dignity denied."
The decision, relayed this morning, follows earlier assurances to diplomats that Christian ministers Christie Buckingham and David Soper, who are close to both men, would be able to comfort the men in their last moments on earth.
Indonesian authorities said, instead, they would supply their own Christian advisers in line with the men's stated religion. The decision was made on the instruction of the office of the attorney general.
It is the latest of several snubs by Indonesia to Australia over the executions. Last week, Indonesia refused to heed the plea of Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop not to announce the executions would take place on Anzac Day.
The executions are proceeding despite the strong objections of the Australian government and the fact that a constitutional court challenge by the two men has been given a hearing date on May 12.
The two Australian members of the Bali nine heroin smuggling ring are expected to be killed by a firing squad at midnight on Tuesday, or shortly thereafter.
Nur Ali, the police chief of Central Java, said the firing squads were "ready at any time". But a spokesman for the attorney general Adi Toegarisman, standing alongside Mr Nur, said an execution site had not been decided.
There are several possible sites for the simultaneous killing of nine drug felons but Fairfax Media has been told by an inside source it will happen behind the firing range, which lies on the coast of the penal island of Nusakambangan, just a few hundred metres from mainland Java.
?Meanwhile, a message was read out on behalf of the girlfriend of Raheem Agbaje Salami, one of seven drug felons to be executed alongside Chan and Sukumaran.
"I beg to [Indonesian President] Mr Joko Widodo and all of Indonesia to stop the execution. They're good people and deserve for a second chance," said the girlfriend, who signed the letter "Angela". "I love my boyfriend and I do love all of them."
Raheem has shared a four-cell prison block with the two Australians since they were moved from Bali's Kerobokan prison to Nusakambangan in March.
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