I've been reading again about Van Tuong Nguyen's final days before his execution by hanging in Changi Prison for trafficking heroin through Singapore.
Once again the individual fades into the backdrop of larger issues.
What particularly struck me was how difficult it was for some to grieve for this young man. I don't mean because of their internal conditions.
"A request was made by Liberal MP Bruce Baird for an official minute's silence to honour Nguyen "to express our compassion for this young Australian and our opposition to the imposition of this barbaric sentence". This was met with strong disapproval by Minister for Veterans' Affairs De-Anne Kelly[16] and representatives of the Returned and Services League, who stated such tributes should be restricted to fallen soldiers or victims of natural disasters. Other groups felt it was inappropriate to "honour" a convicted drug trafficker, claiming that hundreds die each year from heroin overdosing. The request was not officially approved, although many groups paid their respect at 9 a.m., the scheduled time on the east coast of Australia for the hanging. A motion to hold a minute's silence passed in the Queensland Legislative Assembly 49-18 after being debated for nearly an hour. MPs who voted against the move walked out before the observance.
...
His family returned to Australia with his body at 5.30 a.m. December 4, 2005, after an overnight flight to Melbourne.[18] A requiem mass was held at St. Patrick's Cathedral on December 7, 2005, starting at 11 a.m.. The service was conducted in English and Vietnamese. More than 2000 mourners attended, many dressed in white, the traditional Vietnamese colour of grief. Yellow ribbons were tied around elm trees to symbolise rehabilitation at Changi Prison.[19]
The announcement by Victorian MPs Geoff Hilton, Bruce Mildenhall, Sang Minh Nguyen and Richard Wynne that they would attend drew criticism from the Crime Victims Support Association, saying it appeared to give support to a convicted drug trafficker. Premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks, did not attend, saying he did not want to glorify Nguyen in death, but did not oppose the other MPs attending."
The first time I read about him in depth, I cried really hard for the first time in a long time. It had nothing to do with support for drug trafficking, or condoning his actions. It was just so tragic that a loving young man with an ostensibly good heart and kind and gentle nature, had died. Screw the larger issues. A person is dead, will you not join us in grieving?
Here is an article containing some of his letters. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/11/26/1132966006680.html
Once again the individual fades into the backdrop of larger issues.
What particularly struck me was how difficult it was for some to grieve for this young man. I don't mean because of their internal conditions.
"A request was made by Liberal MP Bruce Baird for an official minute's silence to honour Nguyen "to express our compassion for this young Australian and our opposition to the imposition of this barbaric sentence". This was met with strong disapproval by Minister for Veterans' Affairs De-Anne Kelly[16] and representatives of the Returned and Services League, who stated such tributes should be restricted to fallen soldiers or victims of natural disasters. Other groups felt it was inappropriate to "honour" a convicted drug trafficker, claiming that hundreds die each year from heroin overdosing. The request was not officially approved, although many groups paid their respect at 9 a.m., the scheduled time on the east coast of Australia for the hanging. A motion to hold a minute's silence passed in the Queensland Legislative Assembly 49-18 after being debated for nearly an hour. MPs who voted against the move walked out before the observance.
...
His family returned to Australia with his body at 5.30 a.m. December 4, 2005, after an overnight flight to Melbourne.[18] A requiem mass was held at St. Patrick's Cathedral on December 7, 2005, starting at 11 a.m.. The service was conducted in English and Vietnamese. More than 2000 mourners attended, many dressed in white, the traditional Vietnamese colour of grief. Yellow ribbons were tied around elm trees to symbolise rehabilitation at Changi Prison.[19]
The announcement by Victorian MPs Geoff Hilton, Bruce Mildenhall, Sang Minh Nguyen and Richard Wynne that they would attend drew criticism from the Crime Victims Support Association, saying it appeared to give support to a convicted drug trafficker. Premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks, did not attend, saying he did not want to glorify Nguyen in death, but did not oppose the other MPs attending."
The first time I read about him in depth, I cried really hard for the first time in a long time. It had nothing to do with support for drug trafficking, or condoning his actions. It was just so tragic that a loving young man with an ostensibly good heart and kind and gentle nature, had died. Screw the larger issues. A person is dead, will you not join us in grieving?
Here is an article containing some of his letters. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/11/26/1132966006680.html
posted by Fe at 7:22 PM
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