of dignity and the human condition...

Photo from Kenny Sia's blog

News articles about Nguyen's hanging, taken from The Australian:

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"The Vietnamese-Australian, born in a refugee camp in Malaysia, is understood to have fulfilled his last wish to walk voluntarily and without shackles from his cell to the gallows.

And in a display of the friendships he forged with some of the guards on death row, his final human contact was in a hug with the prison's superintendent."

Link

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"Khoa was in Singapore this week for the execution of his brother. Van's lawyer, Lex Lasry QC, said yesterday Khoa had been distressed following the hanging but denied he was suicidal. 'He's in a most tragic situation but hopefully today for him is the start of the rest of his life,' he said.

"And what we want Khoa to do is take inspiration from his brother, not guilt, and move forward and carve out a life for himself in a way that his brother would want him to.' "

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Being able to stare certain death in its face and retain one's dignity is perhaps the most courageous thing that a person can ever do. Terminal illnesses, tragic accidents, natural disasters and, in this case, human circumstances. This is perhaps the kind of brotherly love that my friend, ZT, was talking about when we met over a plate of braised duck along South Buona Vista Road.

Perhaps the remaining twin will truly lead a life that mirrors the kind of dignity and love his departed brother showed, both in trying to solve the former's debt problem and in facing the gallows. Perhaps some form of dignity and good will come out from this and other similar tragic episodes.

Perhaps love will indeed conquer all.


Technorati tags: Sadness, Dignity, Love