(Reuters) — Australian law makers held a dawn vigil on Thursday (March 5) as Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said they were seeking an opportunity to discuss a prisoner swap with her Indonesian counterpart in an 11th hour effort to save the lives of two Australian drug smugglers expected to face a firing squad within days.
The planned executions of Myuran Sukumaran, 33, and Andrew Chan, 31, have ratcheted up diplomatic tension between Australia and Indonesia following repeated pleas for mercy on their behalf. They are among a group of up to 11 convicts, mostly foreigners, due to be executed on the prison island of Nusakambangan.
“They have been rehabilitated in the most remarkable way and it is to the credit of the Indonesian prison system that two men who were convicted of the most serious of crimes have indeed been rehabilitated, they are changed men and they are making a positive contribution to the life of others who are seeking to be rehabilitated in the Indonesian prison system,” Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told the pre-dawn candlelight vigil outside parliament house.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Australia must stand up for their values.
“We do stand up for our values, we respect Indonesia, we honour the friendship that we have with Indonesia but we do stand up for our values and we do stand up for our citizens and these are Australian citizens in extremist,” Abbott said, adding that he had requested to speak again with Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
Bishop told reporters she had spoken to Indonesia’s foreign minister earlier this week proposing a deal.
“What we are seeking to do is have an opportunity to talk about options that might be available in the area of prisoner transfer or prisoner swap. Absolutely no details but we are seeking an opportunity to explore every option that might be available to us, every avenue that might be available to save the lives of these two men,” she said.
Sukumaran and Chan were transferred from Bali’s Kerobokan Prison on Wednesday (March 4) toNusakambangan, which lies off Java.
The pair were convicted in 2005 as the ringleaders of the so-called Bali Nine, and arrested for trying to smuggle 8 kg (18 lb) of heroin to Australia.
The seven other members of the gang, all Australians, have been jailed in Indonesia.
