S Thayaparan
“Criminals do not die by the hands of the law. They die by the hands of other men.”
“Criminals do not die by the hands of the law. They die by the hands of other men.”
- George Bernard Shaw
COMMENT | The question that opens this piece was a text by a very old – ancient, I would say – friend who has been an anti-death advocate all his life.
“My entire family was killed in the Shoah, Thaya, hence death has stalked me all my life,” he once told me over dinner in a café in India.
Another text read: “Surendran is doing god’s work, but the Singapore government is not like the Nazis. Nazis did not ignore the rule of law, they embraced the immorality of their desiderata. Their laws. Their evil. ”
Early in the morning, we texted back and forth about an event which was just hours away.
“Remember Yong Vui Kong”, my friend texted. They let him live. For readers unfamiliar with this case and the work of anti-death penalty advocates, you can read about the legislation here written by Kristen Han:
“As it stands, Singapore’s death penalty for drugs means that any low-level courier or drug mule convicted of trafficking above a certain amount is bound for the gallows, unless he/she is of use to the prosecution. It’s a philosophy that sees an individual’s right to life not as a fundamental right, but as a privilege that can be taken away unless the authorities are appeased – hardly a reflection of minister Balakrishnan’s claim that ‘all human life is sacred’, or that the death penalty is used only ‘in the proper context and in strictly limited circumstances’.”
I have always had a problem with executing drug mules. Most people who are hung for this offence are so low down the criminal food chain, that their effects on society are minimal at best.
This idea that drug mules destroy families is complete horse manure.
What destroys families are not drugs but rather the way the state has declared certain diseases (addiction) as worthy of sanctions and created a war on drugs in which entire families are treated as enemy combatants.
Now you are free to believe that any drug problem begins and ends with the execution of drug mules. You are free to believe that Nagaenthran Dharmalingam’s death was just and Singaporeans are better off with his execution.
“My entire family was killed in the Shoah, Thaya, hence death has stalked me all my life,” he once told me over dinner in a café in India.
Another text read: “Surendran is doing god’s work, but the Singapore government is not like the Nazis. Nazis did not ignore the rule of law, they embraced the immorality of their desiderata. Their laws. Their evil. ”
Early in the morning, we texted back and forth about an event which was just hours away.
“Remember Yong Vui Kong”, my friend texted. They let him live. For readers unfamiliar with this case and the work of anti-death penalty advocates, you can read about the legislation here written by Kristen Han:
“As it stands, Singapore’s death penalty for drugs means that any low-level courier or drug mule convicted of trafficking above a certain amount is bound for the gallows, unless he/she is of use to the prosecution. It’s a philosophy that sees an individual’s right to life not as a fundamental right, but as a privilege that can be taken away unless the authorities are appeased – hardly a reflection of minister Balakrishnan’s claim that ‘all human life is sacred’, or that the death penalty is used only ‘in the proper context and in strictly limited circumstances’.”
I have always had a problem with executing drug mules. Most people who are hung for this offence are so low down the criminal food chain, that their effects on society are minimal at best.
This idea that drug mules destroy families is complete horse manure.
What destroys families are not drugs but rather the way the state has declared certain diseases (addiction) as worthy of sanctions and created a war on drugs in which entire families are treated as enemy combatants.
Now you are free to believe that any drug problem begins and ends with the execution of drug mules. You are free to believe that Nagaenthran Dharmalingam’s death was just and Singaporeans are better off with his execution.
Candlelight vigil for Nagaenthran Dharmalingam at the Singapore Embassy.
Drug entrepreneurs live in luxury
Meanwhile, drug entrepreneurs are living in luxury. Most of them are politically connected.
When not busy corrupting the state security apparatus, they are corrupting the political process.
Does the death penalty really seem appropriate for those people who are so low down the food chain while the real masterminds are probably propping up the banking institutions and the economy of the country?
Most of them launder their money through institutions that law-abiding citizens use.
Drug money becomes part of the system, used for all manner of purposes, some of it illicit, so the cycle of capitalistic life continues.
Of course, the sanctimonious pay no attention to this reality but are satisfied the “law” is meted out to the often ignorant and desperate people, is worthy of admiration.
As reported in the press, Nagaenthran wanted to hold his family’s hands:
“I’d like to make a last-minute request to spend some time with my family members,” he said via a translator.
“I’m placing this request so I can hold my family members’ hands. Here in court, your honour, I would like to hold my family members’ hands, not in prison. May I please have permission to hold their hands here?”
As someone who has actually witnessed such farewells, you never really grasp the finality of the situation.
We take for granted everyday contact with loved ones. We never stop to think, this may be the last time.
You are at the mercy of an uncaring system that only seeks to carry out a mandate efficiently without any remorse or understanding.
“There must come a time when the last word of the court is the last word,” proclaimed the highest court of the land in Nagaenthran’s final appeal.
When you are a desperate mother fighting for your child’s life and from a socio-economic background that does not afford you privileges that come with money, you have no choice but to grasp every little hope there is.
“I am Nagaenthran’s mother, I want my son back alive, your honour. We are in dire straits now,” said Panchalai Supermaniam.
Why execute someone like this?
I understand if the damage done by the condemned had impacted Singapore in some grave way that the only recourse, the only closure for the population was the death of the condemned.
I would not support it but I would understand. Nagaenthran's death, like countless others, is merely a boast.
A talking point for severe retributive punishment, welcomed only by the most vacuous and simplistic of people.
My last text to my friend was, “Yes, they have.”
S THAYAPARAN is Commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”
Drug entrepreneurs live in luxury
Meanwhile, drug entrepreneurs are living in luxury. Most of them are politically connected.
When not busy corrupting the state security apparatus, they are corrupting the political process.
Does the death penalty really seem appropriate for those people who are so low down the food chain while the real masterminds are probably propping up the banking institutions and the economy of the country?
Most of them launder their money through institutions that law-abiding citizens use.
Drug money becomes part of the system, used for all manner of purposes, some of it illicit, so the cycle of capitalistic life continues.
Of course, the sanctimonious pay no attention to this reality but are satisfied the “law” is meted out to the often ignorant and desperate people, is worthy of admiration.
As reported in the press, Nagaenthran wanted to hold his family’s hands:
“I’d like to make a last-minute request to spend some time with my family members,” he said via a translator.
“I’m placing this request so I can hold my family members’ hands. Here in court, your honour, I would like to hold my family members’ hands, not in prison. May I please have permission to hold their hands here?”
As someone who has actually witnessed such farewells, you never really grasp the finality of the situation.
We take for granted everyday contact with loved ones. We never stop to think, this may be the last time.
You are at the mercy of an uncaring system that only seeks to carry out a mandate efficiently without any remorse or understanding.
“There must come a time when the last word of the court is the last word,” proclaimed the highest court of the land in Nagaenthran’s final appeal.
When you are a desperate mother fighting for your child’s life and from a socio-economic background that does not afford you privileges that come with money, you have no choice but to grasp every little hope there is.
“I am Nagaenthran’s mother, I want my son back alive, your honour. We are in dire straits now,” said Panchalai Supermaniam.
Why execute someone like this?
I understand if the damage done by the condemned had impacted Singapore in some grave way that the only recourse, the only closure for the population was the death of the condemned.
I would not support it but I would understand. Nagaenthran's death, like countless others, is merely a boast.
A talking point for severe retributive punishment, welcomed only by the most vacuous and simplistic of people.
My last text to my friend was, “Yes, they have.”
S THAYAPARAN is Commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”
While I personally am against the death penalty, I can understand Singapore's stance.
ReplyDeleteEverybody knows how strict the laws against drug trafficking is in Singapore. The thinking then would be, knowing that and you still want to risk your life?
By doing so ie impose the death penalty, it would deter other would be Mules from taking the risk.