"My life is a perfect example of an absolute waste": Executed Andrew Chan writes haunting letter to children around the world, warning them about the dangers of drugs

Before his brutal execution, Bali Nine ringleader Andrew Chan wrote a harrowing letter in which he warned school children about the dangers of using drugs. Andrew is one of the 8 people executed in Indonesia two days ago. He was known as the Bali 9 ringleader. Before he was executed by a firing squad, Andrew wrote haunting letter to schoolchildren around the world where he revealed how he became addicted to drugs at age 15 and warns teens not to follow his footsteps. The letter was read out Chan himself from inside his Indonesian prison cell, as part of a documentary made available to schools. After introducing himself, the Australian said;

‘Now the reason why I’m writing you this letter is to address you guys about the dangers of drugs and the effects it can have on you and also others. To tell you a little bit about my life story, I was once 15, 16 and it wasn’t too long ago I was sitting in a class just like you guys.

‘I was an average kid and let me tell you that my teachers didn’t like me one bit and I was no teacher’s pet. But to cut a long story short, I got mixed up with drugs at a pretty young age and by the time I was 15 I was merged into the scene.’

‘Ive done things which I am not proud of in my life and I’ve made some pretty stupid decisions. My life is a perfect example of an absolute waste.

‘Now to elaborate the effects of where I am, I’ve missed weddings, I’ve missed funerals and the simple presence of my own family.

‘The hurt and pain – I don’t just put it onto myself, but the pain I put on my family is agonising. A simple touch such as a hug is not possible for a condemned man like me. I have nothing but an iron bar to hug rather than to be embraced by those I love and who I miss.’ 

‘What you choose today will make what you become tomorrow. If you want to be a thug and a big bad wolf, I’ll see you soon inside. But for those that want to do something in life I’d like you guys to see how important it is to put your head down and study hard. 

‘I hope these words will penetrate in your minds and in your hearts and I hope that most of you, if not all of you, will achieve more than I ever did.’

 A documentary was released just months before Australian drug smuggler Andrew Chan was executed so he could advise teenagers to steer clear of drugs

The Bali Nine ringleader wrote a haunting letter in which he detailed his regrets and how he came to take drugs

 Portraits of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were on display at a funeral home in Jakarta following their executions with other death row prisoners on Wednesday morning

 The bodies of those executed, including Chan, Sukumaran and Brazilian Rodrigo Gularte (pictured) arrived in Jakarta late on Wednesday

 The letter reveals that Chan hung around with the wrong crowd in his youth after the racism and bullying he experienced as a child made him strive to grow ‘tougher’ in order to be accepted

‘I got mixed up with drugs at a pretty young age and by the time I was 15 I was merged into the scene,’ he says in his clear Australian accent. Pictured in an Indonesian court at the age of 21

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"My life is a perfect example of an absolute waste": Executed Andrew Chan writes haunting letter to children around the world, warning them about the dangers of drugs

Australia withdraws her ambassador from Indonesia following the execution of the Bali Nine pair Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran

 

Indonesia’s attorney general HM Prasetyo says the withdrawal of the Australian ambassador from the country is only “momentary”.

The Netherlands have done the same thing in the past. Brazil has done the same thing. I think this is just a momentary reaction, and this will be settled within the diplomatic sphere. What we are doing is carrying out the court decision. Every case should have an end.”

Speaking Wednesday morning to a group of journalists after inspecting the execution site with the national police chief, Commissioner General Badrodin Haiti, Prasetyo offered his condolences to the families of the eight men executed but said the executions were necessary.

I would like to say that an execution is not a pleasant thing. It is not a fun job. But we must do it in order to save the nation from the dangers of drugs. We are not making enemies of the country from which the executed last night came from. What we are fighting against are drug related crimes.

Therefore, I would like to offer my condolences, on the execution of those who were on the death row, to their families, to their home countries. Once again, we are not against the countries, but we are fighting a war against the horrible drug crimes that threaten our nation’s survival.

Indonesian attorney-general H.M. Prasetyo (right) applauded Chan and Sukumaran’s executioners for the good job that they did

Mr Prasetyo (second right) said that ‘all the shots were done perfectly’ at the execution

The Indonesian attorney-general believed that Wednesday morning’s execution was much better than one carried out in January.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Australia will withdraw its ambassador to Indonesia in an unprecedented diplomatic response to the executions of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan

Indonesian president Joko Widodo failed to return Australian PM Tony Abbott’s phone calls about the Bali Nine in March.

Culled from The Guardian

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Australia withdraws her ambassador from Indonesia following the execution of the Bali Nine pair Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran