Posted on May 3, 2016
Woman who saved Mary Jane Veloso from death with 30 minutes to go
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On the first anniversary of his death by firing squad, hundreds will pay tribute to Myuran Sukumaran on Saturday evening in the same church where he was farewelled at his funeral.
Between 5.30pm and 7.30pm mourners will gather at Day Spring church in Castle Hill, in Sydney’s west, to remember the Bali Nine leader who transformed his life as an artist and was an inspiration to fellow inmates and those who were influenced by his zeal and love of life.
One such is Melbourne artist Matthew Sleeth, who together with fellow Australian artist Ben Quilty tutored their student and friend during regular visits to Kerobokan jail where Sukumaran and Andrew Chan lived for a decade before their executions.
A self portrait by yuran Sukumaran.
Sleeth will pay tribute to Sukumaran’s legacy at the memorial “in terms of lives Myu changed while he was in prison, including my own’’.
“By getting to know him and the way he lived his life, he turned many people who never considered themselves activists into lifelong activists against the death penalty.
“Perhaps the existence of the art works he left behind, is the most powerful argument against death penalty.’’
Quilty has decided not to publicly pay tribute to Sukumaran or rally for the abolition of the death penalty on the anniversary.
However, he has paid homage on his Facebook page, referring to the 50th anniversary of the last execution in Australia in 1967 when Ronald Ryan was hung.
“Next year, the 50th anniversary of the last execution on Australian soil, a major retrospective of my friend Myuran Sukumaran’s paintings will open in Sydney. It will tour the country and I will be sending you President Joko Widodo an invite.
“Rest in peace Myu, with a brush in your hand my friend. Next year you will prove again to the world the outcome of rehabilitation, the profound importance of forgiveness and compassion and most importantly of all the power of art.’’
Andrew Chan’s legacy, through his own transformation and rehabilitation as a Christian, is no less enduring.
Facing his darkest moments hours before his execution by firing squad on April 29 last year, Chan penned letters to at least three people with whom he shared a special bond.
His brother Michael, waiting to accompany Chan’s body fresh from Nusakambangan’s killing field to Jakarta, dutifully delivered them to a Bali-bound friend.
Chan’s family attended a Hillsong chapel in Sydney’s northwest on Friday.
A year on from the horror, the last thoughts of the Bali Nine ringleader, who was shot alongside fellow Australian drug runner Myuran Sukumaran, can be revealed in one of the letters obtained by The Australian.
The pair were sentenced to death in 2006 for leading the plot to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin from Bali to Australia. Their lives ended on Nuskambangan’s penal island in central Java shortly after midnight on April 29 last year when they were tethered to posts and killed alongside six fellow prisoners.
Declaring his unerring faith in God, his gratitude for 10 good years behind bars — where he became a Christian pastor and taught religion — and his love and hopes for Indonesia, Chan appears neither resigned to his death nor embittered.
The previous day, the 31-year-old had smiled through a bittersweet ceremony as he wed his fiance, Febyanti Herewila, a Christian pastor.
Letters were given to Bali Nine courier Matthew Norman in Kerobokan jail, another Kerobokan inmate and an Australian confidant who does not want to be named.
In his letter to that confidant, Chan writes, in part:
“My faith still stands in the Lord. I have learnt where the mind and heart is, the man shall follow. This was when Jesus talked about our eyes, are they holding onto what is pure and his promises. I know that Jesus is in control, he said not a single hair will fall from my head without him knowing. Well, if he cares about my hair, how much more does he care about my life?
“I know the promises God has for me, he promises to fulfil them until the end of time….
“We continue to pray for the nation’s leaders. Jesus said it was important (for) me to do so. We need to continue to press on and push, as all of us and leaders of the nation need wisdom from the Lord above and nothing less.
“Jesus has been amazing for 10 years. He’s shown me how he’s held me in the palm of his hand and he still continues as I am here. The Lord is my shepherd, and I realise that a shepherd protects his sheep, no wolf or fox can enter without my shepherd knowing and he will defend me with his life….
“I pray a contamination of love will spill over and overflow the nation of Indonesia.
“Much Love and Prayers
“Andrew”
I think Idonesia better do the right thing, but the world at large does some policing of their own. Regardless of what they did, but executing people with so many bigger issues, is kind of par with Politicians. Vote for me and I promise to turn my back on you. SGM Matthew Quick PO2 Ed C. SSG Warren Swan SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL CPT L S CPT Russell Pitre LTC Stephen F. LTC Stephen C. Col (Join to see) 1SG Mike Case COL Mikel J. Burroughs SSG Jarrod Stover MSG Tom Earley CMDCM Gene Treants 1LT Sandy Annala SrA Christopher Wright SSgt John S. Sgt Kelli Mays
Between 5.30pm and 7.30pm mourners will gather at Day Spring church in Castle Hill, in Sydney’s west, to remember the Bali Nine leader who transformed his life as an artist and was an inspiration to fellow inmates and those who were influenced by his zeal and love of life.
One such is Melbourne artist Matthew Sleeth, who together with fellow Australian artist Ben Quilty tutored their student and friend during regular visits to Kerobokan jail where Sukumaran and Andrew Chan lived for a decade before their executions.
A self portrait by yuran Sukumaran.
Sleeth will pay tribute to Sukumaran’s legacy at the memorial “in terms of lives Myu changed while he was in prison, including my own’’.
“By getting to know him and the way he lived his life, he turned many people who never considered themselves activists into lifelong activists against the death penalty.
“Perhaps the existence of the art works he left behind, is the most powerful argument against death penalty.’’
Quilty has decided not to publicly pay tribute to Sukumaran or rally for the abolition of the death penalty on the anniversary.
However, he has paid homage on his Facebook page, referring to the 50th anniversary of the last execution in Australia in 1967 when Ronald Ryan was hung.
“Next year, the 50th anniversary of the last execution on Australian soil, a major retrospective of my friend Myuran Sukumaran’s paintings will open in Sydney. It will tour the country and I will be sending you President Joko Widodo an invite.
“Rest in peace Myu, with a brush in your hand my friend. Next year you will prove again to the world the outcome of rehabilitation, the profound importance of forgiveness and compassion and most importantly of all the power of art.’’
Andrew Chan’s legacy, through his own transformation and rehabilitation as a Christian, is no less enduring.
Facing his darkest moments hours before his execution by firing squad on April 29 last year, Chan penned letters to at least three people with whom he shared a special bond.
His brother Michael, waiting to accompany Chan’s body fresh from Nusakambangan’s killing field to Jakarta, dutifully delivered them to a Bali-bound friend.
Chan’s family attended a Hillsong chapel in Sydney’s northwest on Friday.
A year on from the horror, the last thoughts of the Bali Nine ringleader, who was shot alongside fellow Australian drug runner Myuran Sukumaran, can be revealed in one of the letters obtained by The Australian.
The pair were sentenced to death in 2006 for leading the plot to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin from Bali to Australia. Their lives ended on Nuskambangan’s penal island in central Java shortly after midnight on April 29 last year when they were tethered to posts and killed alongside six fellow prisoners.
Declaring his unerring faith in God, his gratitude for 10 good years behind bars — where he became a Christian pastor and taught religion — and his love and hopes for Indonesia, Chan appears neither resigned to his death nor embittered.
The previous day, the 31-year-old had smiled through a bittersweet ceremony as he wed his fiance, Febyanti Herewila, a Christian pastor.
Letters were given to Bali Nine courier Matthew Norman in Kerobokan jail, another Kerobokan inmate and an Australian confidant who does not want to be named.
In his letter to that confidant, Chan writes, in part:
“My faith still stands in the Lord. I have learnt where the mind and heart is, the man shall follow. This was when Jesus talked about our eyes, are they holding onto what is pure and his promises. I know that Jesus is in control, he said not a single hair will fall from my head without him knowing. Well, if he cares about my hair, how much more does he care about my life?
“I know the promises God has for me, he promises to fulfil them until the end of time….
“We continue to pray for the nation’s leaders. Jesus said it was important (for) me to do so. We need to continue to press on and push, as all of us and leaders of the nation need wisdom from the Lord above and nothing less.
“Jesus has been amazing for 10 years. He’s shown me how he’s held me in the palm of his hand and he still continues as I am here. The Lord is my shepherd, and I realise that a shepherd protects his sheep, no wolf or fox can enter without my shepherd knowing and he will defend me with his life….
“I pray a contamination of love will spill over and overflow the nation of Indonesia.
“Much Love and Prayers
“Andrew”
I think Idonesia better do the right thing, but the world at large does some policing of their own. Regardless of what they did, but executing people with so many bigger issues, is kind of par with Politicians. Vote for me and I promise to turn my back on you. SGM Matthew Quick PO2 Ed C. SSG Warren Swan SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL CPT L S CPT Russell Pitre LTC Stephen F. LTC Stephen C. Col (Join to see) 1SG Mike Case COL Mikel J. Burroughs SSG Jarrod Stover MSG Tom Earley CMDCM Gene Treants 1LT Sandy Annala SrA Christopher Wright SSgt John S. Sgt Kelli Mays
Woman who saved Mary Jane Veloso from death with 30 minutes to go
Posted from dailymail.co.uk
Philippines
Indonesia
Death Penalty
Human Rights
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
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Thanks SSgt (Join to see) for sharing. The page you linked to is Not Found. I expect you are referring to an Indonesian trial and sentence. Indonesia has been known to execute ruthless sentences. I hope and pray that Indonesian justice authorities have wisdom and demonstrate mercy.
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