The Pastor and the Painter: Inside the lives of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran – from Aussie schoolboys to Bali 9 drug traffickers to Kerobokan’s redeemed men

by Cindy Wockner

A very personal look at Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. Cindy Wockner was a journalist reporting the story of two surly drug smugglers. She was there from the beginning and would become a good friend of the two changed men.

At 12.35 a.m. on 29 April 2015, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were led out in front of a firing squad. Strapped to wooden crosses, they looked straight down the barrels of their killers' rifles. On that day, the Indonesian government did not execute two drug smugglers, they executed a pastor and a painter.

But who were Andrew and Myuran?

In 2005, the lure of drugs, money, fast cars and a better life led them and seven other Australians into a smuggling plot to import heroin from Indonesia to Australia. Unbeknownst to them all, the Australian Federal Police knew of their plan and tipped off the Indonesian authorities. Charged with drug trafficking, Myuran and Andrew were found guilty and sentenced to death. Andrew was 21 years old. Myuran was 24.

At the time, Cindy Wockner was the Indonesia correspondent for News Limited: for a decade she covered their story and she got to know Myuran, Andrew and their families. They let her into their lives and she watched them transform from angry, defiant young inmates into fully rehabilitated, good men.

This is the intimate, and untold, story of Andrew and Myuran. It details their redemption inside Kerobokan prison and their passion for helping others - through Andrew's growing commitment to his faith and Myu's burgeoning artistic talent. It reveals the boys they were and the men they became, in a potent cautionary tale and a poignant reminder of what we all lose when we ignore the power of mercy.

'gripping' DAILY TELEGRAPH on Cindy Wockner and Madonna King's BALI 9

Genres: True Crime

311 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Sean Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful biographical work on Andrew and Myu focussing especially on their last days in prison before their Government sanctioned murder. It shows how much they reformed, their valuable work inside prison helping others and the nature and senselessness of the death penalty.
It was hard going at times, not because of the book itself but because of the inevitability of what happened and the anger that comes about from seeing how recalcitrant the Indonesian government was, and how the executions appeared to be politically motivated rather than anything to do with justice.
Through it though shines grace forgiveness and hope and the author did a great job of shining the positive light amongst the dark world it lived on.
A well recommended read.

[Jo-Ann Duff · Rating 5 out of 5]

At 12.35 a.m. on 29 April 2015, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were led out in front of a firing squad. Strapped to wooden crosses, they looked straight down the barrels of their killers' rifles. On that day, the Indonesian government did not execute two drug smugglers, they executed a pastor and a painter.

But who were Andrew and Myuran?

Cindy Wockner was the Indonesia Correspondent for News Limited and first met Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan in 2005. Myuran (24) and Andrew (21) along with 7 other young people had been arrested in Bali for trying to smuggle heroin, crudely strapped to some of the member's bodies into Australia. The tabloids named them collectively The Bali 9. The two young men were surly, cocky and full of attitude and self-importance. Dubbed the Kingpin and the Godfather, the young men did very little to endear the Australian public to their plight as they were put on death row at the notorious Kerobokan prison.

The Pastor and The Painter is an intimate account of the background, case, and lives of Andrew and Myuran (Myu) told by Cindy Wockner, who followed the case and visited the pair many times over the 10 years they were in prison. Wockner reveals how their families coped, the recognition of their crimes, their rehabilitation and documents the complicated and frustrating court proceedings in Indonesia.

Duffy's Review Of The Pastor and The Painter

I am not here to preach about the death penalty and I don't care which side of the fence you sit on. Whichever side, this is an important, yet very difficult book to read. There are so many questions raised in Wockner's account of the last decade of these young men's lives. What happened to the mastermind behind the drug operation, are they still pumping heroin into Australia? Why did the Australian police force allow these young people to be arrested in a country where the death penalty was in place? Were the trials fair and just? Ultimately, did the punishment fit the crime?

It is clear in the book that Wockner had great empathy for the men and a special bond with Sukumaran. The hardest parts for me were about the families. How would you feel if your little brother or son did something really stupid in the vain hope of chasing a life off of minimum wage? What if you found out your little brother or son had intimidated and threatened young drug mules? What if someone you loved orchestrated importation of a class A drug, or were paraded in front of news crews as they were lead to their death? What would the last 72 hours feel like?

As we near the anniversary of the executions, The Pastor and The Painter has left me with a heavy heart and many, many questions.

If you are interested in law, biographies, open to the possibility that people can change and want to start a conversation, then The Pastor and The Painter is a must-read.

Buy it on Kindle here  Available in bookshops in April.

Thank you to Hachette for the review copy.

[Helen Li · Rating 4 out of 5]

The death penalty has been described by Amnesty International as “barbaric”, it is hard to imagine that capital punishment is still been practiced in our modern technological world. More than half of the world’s countries have abolished death penalty as their legal punishment. However this is not the case in very few countries and such is the legal system in Indonesia. Schapelle Corby and the Bali Nine have been convicted in Indonesia for drug smugglers the past decade. As part of the Bali Nine gang, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were sentenced to death and executed in 2015. Who were these two young Australians and what type of life did they lead prior to their drug conviction and during their decade in the harsh prison in Indonesia? Sure many agree that if the drugs were taken by the community more lives would have been lost, however the real question is what type of punishment can bring justice to drug smugglers? The focus of the author is on their redemption and the two young men as they transform themselves from angry and bitter drug smugglers into faithful, giving and rehabilitated men. Chan committed his life in prison to become a pastor and Sukumaran become a passionate painter and dedicated himself towards helping others in prison. The two prisoners and their families plead and begged the President to save their life from such an inhumane and cruel executions. However the President showed no mercy and both clemency were ignored. Chan and Sukumaran’s family were deeply destroyed and shattered by the flawed legal system. This is a cautionary tale to us all that there are legal systems in the world which gravely lacks mercy and compassionate.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting however felt like the author was too close to the subjects and couldn’t be subjective

[Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely cry over a book. This one, however, had me sobbing before I'd even reached the end of the prologue. There were times when I found the sequencing of events a bit hard to follow, but it didn't detract from the power of the deeply moving narrative. It was heartwarming in the way in which two young men who'd made a terrible mistake and committed a serious crime moved from anger and denial to accepting and apologising for their actions, to rehabilitating themselves and doing much to help others. Heartbreaking in the injustice and barbarity of the Indonesian justice system, especially the anomaly of their hard line regarding the execution of these prisoners while actively campaigning against the death penalty for their citizens abroad. The author, a journalist who followed the two from their arrest to their execution 10 years later, doesn't mince words in describing the horror of the execution or the huge impact on the families and it's a story that needs to be told to raise more awareness for abolition of the death penalty. However, in stark contrast she highlights the grace and dignity with which the two men died. Ultimately it shows the foolishness of the Indonesian Government in executing two men who would have been powerful ambassadors against the drug trade, and clearly demonstrates that restorative justice is a much more effective way of fighting crime than handing out harsh penalties.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written by the Newscorp journalist who covered the story of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, the drug traffickers who were executed in Indonesia in 2015. It’s not the kind of book I’d usually read but I bought it because my local bookseller at Beaumaris books is holding an event featuring its author to coincide with World Day against the Death Penalty, a cause I have supported ever since Ronald Ryan was hanged in 1967 when I was a teenager.

Cindy Wockner developed a friendly relationship with Chan and Sukumaran and the book was written to fulfil a promise to continue the fight against the death penalty and not wait until the next Australian is on death row overseas and about to be killed.

Everyone in Australia knows the story of these two men. They were the ringleaders of the Bali Nine, the ones who coordinated the exchange of drugs from a Thai importer to the ‘mules’ who were to carry the drugs, strapped to their bodies, from Bali into Australia. All of them received very heavy penalties by Australian standards, some of them subjected to the death penalty which was since rescinded, except in the case of Chan and Sukumaran. Australia (still!) has no prisoner exchange agreement with Indonesia so the remaining seven will remain in gaol over there for a long time yet to come.

The book, though a bit repetitive, makes a solid workmanlike case for the exceptional circumstances that apply to Chan and Sukumaran.

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2018/09/17/t...

[David McNair · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Pastor and the Painter” by Cindy Wockner is a must read for every Australian. I have never been more moved by story of such transformation and grace in the face of such incredible heartache. Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran will be remembered not for their mistakes but for their transformed lives and their lasting legacy of making a difference in the lives of others. Their story reveals the boys they were and the men they became, in a poignant reminder of what we all lose when we ignore the power of mercy.
“The sun comes up it’s a new day dawning. It’s time to sing your song again. Whatever may pass whatever lies before me. Let me be singing when the evening comes”
“Your rich in love and slow to anger. Your name is great and your heart is kind. For all your goodness I will keep on singing. 10,000 reasons for my heart to find”
“And on that day when my strength is failing. Then end draws near and my time has come. Still my soul will sing your praise unending. Ten thousand years and then forever more” -
10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord) Matt Redman

[Vandana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Difficult review

I have read Bali 9 many years ago and in comparison this book was more of a justification as to why the death penalty should be abolished though through out the book the author admitted that what was done was wrong and how rehabilitation should work in favour of people who have served their time .I think the book was repetitive of the time spent in jail instead of arguing on points of law .

[Philip Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 stars for the spirit of this book. It's a story that everyone should know in detail and not just from the thinness of mass media reports. Redemption is possible. A prison can be a place of healing. Faith makes a difference. The Powers That Be can undermine it all.
Disclaimer: I work for Bayside Church. I admit to bias.

[Shani Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking

[ELs · Rating 5 out of 5]

If only they can turned back the time.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is more a reporting of the story of the two young men, in very basic but moving style.
A strong argument for the abolition of capital punishment, indeed, and a very important story.

[Jp Sordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The description of the last moments before execution was haunting.

[Mamta Pathak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Well researched and documented book on the execution of two people who made a mistake but changed to help others and repent but were sadly executed.

[Zenibakomatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indonesian politicians and judiciary are a bunch of small-minded, corrupted, vindictive scum who couldn't hold a candle to the two guys they shot.

[Mike Liberale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abolish the death penalty now.
This book is exactly why the death penalty should not ever exist.

[Ally Marov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. All I can say is wow.

I was 5 years old when I heard about the Bali 9 case, and I was 15 years old at the time that both Andrew and Myuran were executed but at that time didn’t really take much note of them as a whole.
Now at 22, I picked this book up on a whim at an op shop, not expecting too much out of it and… it had exceeded my expectations.
The author wrote this so so well that I ended up crying towards the end of it.
This book has really opened up my eyes about the injustices in this case about the Australian and Indonesian governments and how they handled it.

It was such an amazing but a really sad read towards the end. I would recommend everybody to read this book and to check out the case of the Bali 9.

[Yee · Rating 5 out of 5]

If a judgement has been made based on his crime, why there isn't a different judgement based on the good things that he had done?

Book Review: The Pastor and the Painter by Cindy Wockner.