Pubdate: Mon, 28 Nov 2005
Source: Manila Times (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005, The Manila Times
Contact:  http://www.manilatimes.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/921
Author: AFP
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Death+Penalty (Death Penalty)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

SOUTHEAST ASIA EYES AUSSIE REACTION ON DRUG RUNNER'S DEATH

SINGAPORE: Southeast Asian nations are closely watching Australia's
reaction to the imminent hanging of one of its citizens in Singapore
ahead of a key regional summit, diplomats and analysts said.

The scheduled execution on December 2 of heroin runner Nguyen Tuong
Van, 25, has become a highly charged issue in Australia, triggering
calls for retaliation including economic sanctions and a boycott of
Singapore firms.

Nguyen was arrested at Changi airport three years ago while in transit
from Cambodia to Australia with 400 grams (14 ounces) of heroin in his
possession. The death penalty is mandatory for drug trafficking in
Singapore.

Singapore has been branded an "island of death" and a "rogue Chinese
port city" by Australian critics for rejecting clemency for the former
Vietnamese refugee and maintaining a hardline stance on capital punishment.

But Australian officials led by Prime Minister John Howard have
adopted a more measured approach, preferring to focus on pleas to
commute Nguyen's death sentence while admitting that only a miracle
could save his life.

Australia is set to join next month's inaugural East Asia Summit in
Malaysia, thanks in part to strong lobbying by Singapore despite
reservations in other participating countries about Australia's role
in the region.

Rodolfo Severino, the former secretary-general of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), said Australian reactions to the
hanging "could cast some shadows on the Australian participation" in
the summit.

But he told AFP that other summit participants "are aware of the
position of the Australian prime minister."

Severino pointed out that Singapore and Indonesia were "the most
public in advocating the inclusion of Australia" in next month's East
Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur, which has Asean at its core. Singapore
and Indonesia are among Asean's most influential members.

Severino, a former Philippine diplomat who is currently a visiting
senior research fellow at Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian
Studies, does not expect serious damage to Singapore-Australia relations.

He cited the 1995 hanging of a Filipino maid in Singapore, Flor
Contemplacion, which sparked popular indignation in her home country
but "did not permanently harm Philippines-Singapore relations."

There is also a "general awareness" in Singapore that it is the
Australian opposition that is "deliberately exploiting the issue to
serve its narrow ends," said the diplomat, who spoke on condition of
anonymity.

A veteran diplomat said Southeast Asian nations "are generally not
impressed by this kind of robust criticism" but "it is important that
the situation is managed properly, otherwise peoples of both countries
will be the losers.

The furor over his case follows similar denunciations of Indonesia's
justice system after two Australian women were found guilty of drug
offenses in Bali. 
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