Brintha Sukumaran says Australia should have acted sooner to save brother from firing squad

Brintha Sukumaran, 40, says her brother Myuran became the pin-up boy for drugs in Indonesia and Australia but has hailed government talks to repatriate the five remaining Bali Nine by Christmas.

The sister of Myuran Sukumaran, executed by firing squad in Indonesia for smuggling heroin to Australia, wiped away the tears and declared “it’s bitter sweet” as she welcomed Anthony Albanese’s move to repatriate the remaining five of the Bali Nine.

Recalling the day her brother was executed on Nusa Kambangan Prison Island in April 2015 with fellow Australian Andrew Chan and six drug convicted prisoners, Brintha Sukumaran said: “To die that way was so brutal and unnecessary, the Indonesian government should never have allowed it.

“It’s nine years ago that they shot him. He was just a baby, they all were,” she said speaking from her home in Pemulwuy in Western Sydney.

“Dad died three years ago from pancreatic cancer and mum thinks of Myr every day but keeps busy with work so she doesn’t have to sit with it, - it’s been especially hard for her since losing dad,” the 40-year-old artist said.

Brintha Sukumaran screams out as she arrives at Wijaya Pura port to visit her brother ahead his execution. Picture: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images

Myuran Sukumaran (l) with Tach Duc Thanh Nguyen talking to lawyer in a jail cell in Denpasar, before their trial in Bali, Indonesia dated November 22, 2005.

“I always knew the right government would come along and do the right thing.

“We thank Mr Albanese for opening conversations to bring the others home.

“Myr would be happy knowing the boys could be sent back to Australia.

“When mum and I found out the government wanted to bring them back to serve their sentences, we cried a lot. “It’s bittersweet for us – there was joy that they could come home to Australia finally and not have to languish in an Indonesian jail, but a deep sadness for us, -it’s all too late for my brother,” she said.

“It’s too late for my parents who lost their son and for my brother and me who lost our sibling.

“Myr should never have died in that way. To execute someone is barbaric.

Brintha Sukumaran, pictured with her younger brother Chintu after seeing Myuran for the last time before his execution, says her brother’s death was barbaric and should never have been allowed. Picture: Adam Taylor

“My brother became the pin-up boy for drugs in Indonesia and Australia. Indonesia murdered him but the hatred that Australia showed for him helped kill him, too.

“The Indonesian government jumped on that and took my brother. It was so unfair.

“Isn’t the Australian government supposed to protect its citizens?”

Brintha Sukumaran broke down at Nusakambangan Port where she visited her brother, one of the Bali Nine, on the day he was executed. Picture: Adam Taylor

Referring to prime minister at the time Tony Abbott withdrawing Australia’s ambassador to Indonesia in protest at the “cruel and unnecessary” execution of the citizens hours after Indonesia proceeded with the firing squad execution of Sukumaran and Chan, and six other people for drug offences, she said “Tony Abbott only came in three months before Myr was murdered.

“He wasn’t diplomatic enough to deal with the proud Indonesian government,” she said.

Pictured pleading for mercy two weeks before Myuran Sukumaran was executed, is Brintha Sukumaran, her mother Raji and brother Chintu. Picture: Richard Dobson

“I’m not saying the remaining five should be let off from serving their sentences. Myr was 23 when he was arrested, what twenty-something hasn’t dabbled in drugs?

“I lived with Myr then, when he was so immature, a young kid, silly like any 20-something.

“He mixed with the wrong crowd who promised him a better life and he made mistakes but he did time for it and was rehabilitated in jail after ten years.

Brintha says the pain of how her brother Myuran Sukumaran was killed has never left

Myuran Sukumaran escorted by Prosecutor as arrived to Denpasar District Court for his trial. Picture: Lukman S Bintoro

“The others have too and have all changed their lives in jail.

“I was there for the execution, there were army men with guns lining the street to the jail. “His death was barbaric. They wouldn’t let us in the jail to be with him but I wish I had been to give him moral support so he knew we were there.”

“We pray Mr Albanese is successful in bringing them home.”

Sukumaran and Chan were found guilty of drug trafficking and sentenced to death on April 29, 2015, aged just 31 and 34 respectively.

Myuran Sukumaran (centre), with his brother Chintu(left) and sister Brintha, was executed on Nusa Kambangan Prison Island in April 2015

After a decade in jail, Myuran had rehabilitated and was helping other prisoners, and had sold one of his paintings to pay for an operation for a woman with pancreatic cancer.

Inside prison Sukumaran had set up an art studio and classes for fellow prisoners, and Chan worked as a pastor.

They were sentenced to death for their parts in a 2005 attempt to smuggle more than 8kg of heroin with a street value of $4 million with Sukumaran branded the ring leader of the pack. They were arrested at Denpasar Airport alongside Si Yi Chen, Michael Czugaj, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens and Renae Lawrence after information was given to Indonesian authorities by the AFP.

Myuran Sukumaran GED 34, pictured with his brother Chinthu and sister Brintha, is understood to have uang as he stood front of the firing squad in April 2015

Stephens, Lawrence, Rush and Czugaj were discovered with packages of heroin strapped to their bodies.

The remaining three — Chen, Nguyen and Norman — were arrested at the Maslati Hotel at Kuta Beach with about 300 grams of heroin in their possession.

Seven were sentenced to life in prison by the Denpasar district court: Lawrence, Rush, Czugaj, Stephens, Norman, Chen and Nguyen.

All members of the Bali Nine lodged appeals against their sentences.

Brintha Sukumaran’s mother Raji keeps herself occupied by working to not dwell on the death of her son nine years ago. Picture: Richard Dobson

Lawrence successfully appealed to have her life sentence reduced to 20 years.

Czugaj successfully appealed for a reduced 20-year jail term, only to have it overturned and his life sentence reimposed.

Chen and Norman appealed and had their life sentences reduced to 20 years, only for those appeal verdicts to be overturned and the death penalty imposed.

Norman, Chen, Nguyen’s and Rush’s sentences were later reduced to life in prison.

Five of the Bali Nine remain in prison in Indonesia.

Raji Sukumaran (R) with Brintha Sukumaran (L) are overwhelmed as they visit Myuran at Kerobokan prison in Denpasar, two months before his execution. Photo-Nashyo Hansel

Nguyen died in prison in May 2018 from stomach cancer.

A private conversation between Albanese and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the G20 Summit with “consistent advocacy” from the Albanese government is attempting to hatch an agreement for their return before Christmas.

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Originally published as Brintha Sukumaran says Australia should have acted sooner to save brother from firing squad