HELL ON BALI THE ISLAND OF THE GODS
A real drama which became a life’s lesson
Born and raised surrounded by love I am Rogerio Paez, 49, Civil Engineer, born in
Love that crossed the lives of:
-Jose Paez, 90, Spanish from Seville, who together with his mother Amparo Paez and 2 smaller sisters came to Brazil in the beginning of the 20th century searching for a better life, and;
-Doris Paez, 81, from a humble country family from the state of Minas Gerais,
I am the youngest. My sister Katya is 60 and my brother Ricardo, 59.
My parents crossed each other’s way due to a common passion: sports. They both graduated, so did my sister as physical educational teachers and I also love sports.
I, for a couple of years held the fastest time for 100 meters breast stroke in Rio, played soccer quite well, capoeira but surfing has always been my greatest passion.
My childhood was a dream: no luxury, but with total freedom to play barefoot at the beach and swim in a blue unpolluted sea water.
I have always loved to look across the bay and see the Christ Redeemer postcard of
But my dream was to travel the world after the best waves.
At 18 I had my first sponsorship Alliance Francaise (a French course chain), which provided me with some plane tickets and surfboards.
Then about 6 years ago I arrived in Bali, the last surf
I fell in love straight away with: the surf, the island, the people and with L.A.F, an Australian girl whom I married a couple years after.
Together we run at the beach, did yoga, surf and run a little restaurant which was doing quite well, due to my wife’s charisma and acquaintances (she arrived here long before me), and because my studies and traveling allow me to speak 8 languages. And the happiest kid in the world became the happiest man on the planet: surf, passion, love success.. I had it all.. until the 10th of July 2003.
I could never have dreamed what the God’s of
FROM HEAVEN TO HELL IN AN EYE BLINK
I was driving my bike home after another amazingly beautiful sunset, wondering what to cook, when all of a sudden I was blocked by 2 bikes with 4 men, while a car with 5 more stopped behind me. Screaming , “Police! Police!”.. they started to push me against the car and tried to start a body search.
Most of them were quite younger, with tattoos and I said, ok, but can I see one police I.D please..
None of them showed me any but I was shocked, powerless and they searched me finding a small plastic with 3.8 grams of hashish in my short’s pocket. I couldn’t believe my eyes. They got euphoric, and started hugging each other, saying to me, “You see? What is this? You’re going to jail but before we go to your house, where do you live?”
Under the astonished eyes of my neighbors, they turned my place upside down, searched every inch of it and garden but found nothing illegal at all – nothing !
Arriving at the police station things started to get worse. The group got bigger and because I refused to sign a paper, (I can’t read Indonesian well) and had no idea whatsoever was written there.
All I said was: I want a lawyer, a phone call but all I got was an increasing number of punches till my Spanish blood got too warm and I landed a solid punch in the face of this one guy who was hitting more severely.
Unfortunately afterwards I found out he happened to be the only higher official of the group.” I will make it sure you will pay a high price for this” and after a couple more kicks and punches, screamed, “Lock him up.”
Bad news spread quickly and I was sure there were friends coming to my rescue… They did but I was kept uncommunicated for 48 hours. Not even the Consul was allowed to talk to me. No food, no water, nothing.
After the blood cooled down, I started to feel the pain of the beating, I was afraid I had a broken rib and it was impossible to sleep on the cold cement floor..
I was starting to understand what the chief meant by paying the price for that one punch but I wasn’t that worried because in my 25 years of traveling, I never heard of a count where 3.8 grams of hashish was a big deal.
I was wrong …
Lawyers or Humans Vultures
Finally they got me out of the cell and took me to the office were I made a couple calls
My brother in law W.F from
Thanks God, I did not sign in any of the VULTURES: kind of police station lawyers who are the first to contact anyone arrested and most of the times take all the money , promising an immediate release.
And the day after, A.K an Australian interior decorator who was working with me
showed up with this lawyer Mr. W.Y, I liked his face and signed him in and he became my official lawyer.
BY FAR THE BIGGEST MISTAKE I HAVE EVER DONE.
But I have admit he managed to calm my spirit saying: “ don’t worry, I will get you out in maximum 6 months”
A couple days afterwards the nightmare began.
Mr. W.Y showed up with a book and opened it, in a page where there was a certain article 78 : possession of Narcotics Class A : minimum 5 and maximum of 10 years imprisonment.
I found out Indonesian law makes no difference between soft ( marijuana) and hard drugs ( heroine or cocaine ) and don’t separate user from dealer , because the amount doesn’t matter.
But as usual, Mr W.Y said :” don’t worry I can get you out, but due to the circumstances, you will have to pay such amount of money”.
I was in shock ; All the money I had was about a quarter of what he wanted , which meant the worst for me : I had to call my mother.
From the very first moment of my arresting , it was my main concern.
But I had no choice and I did it: She gave me everything she had so did my closer friends. We got the money asked which was promptly given to the lawyer.
I was sent to jail where things got much better: I finally had a mattress , a space to run and met all the foreigners.
But then I started to hear their stories. There were two well defined groups: those who
had given the lawyers what they asked and got a minimum sentence and those , who despite giving the money asked , got an absurd sentence because their lawyers put the cash in their pockets and did nothing.
WHERE WAS I STANDING?
The court case began and to make the story short ; I went about ten times to court and till the last day Mr. W.Y said :” don’t worry so far so good “.
And the day finally came : 11 years and 30 000 $ usd fine or extra 8 months of imprisonment.
It seemed to be an endless nightmare , WHAT TO DO?
Well, I decided : I HAVE TO ESCAPE.
But, a small detail whent wrong, I wont go through details….. I ended up in the “Famous “
cell tikus….Rat’s cell….SOLITARY
TIME FREEZE – DARKNESS
AN AWAKENED MIND IS BORN
I guess it was already 2 days locked, only in my underwear , without water and food, in full darkness.
Laying down on a cold cement floor , I could touch as small stinking water tank, feel endless attack of a cloud of mosquitos , hear the flick –flick sound of many wild cochroatters shuffling around and tried to stay away from the hole: supposed to be the toilette but full up to the top with dry excrement , I was sure the rats were ready to come out in case I pissed there. For how long could I survive this ?
My mind couldn’t stop flying , wondering from affliction to desperation
and lack of understanding about that insane reality.
Then, all of sudden I hear this noise and the door opens ; literally blinding me.
Relieved I breath some fresh air …”I was alive”.
but this relief didn’t last long. A guard pushed me a tray with something saying it was my meal:” you’ve got ten minutes to eat and throw the tray out before I shut the door “.
I wanted to ask for a towel , soup and water but, I just closed my eyes and devoured the food.
I was alive, but for how long ?
I was skin and bones and I could feel the line which attached my life to death getting weaker .
Another darkness stretch.
I heard another noise, but this time it wasn’t the door but a small window on top of my head which like magic flipped open.
It was Benoit, a huge black guy fro Camerun who head become a double of my friend and bodyguard : ”Mon pote prends ca vite, demain j’essayerai de revenir”…
“hey , brother grab it quickly , I will try to be back tomorrow”.
with the help of a bamboo stick he passed me a plastic bag through the whole: fruits, some bread, yoghurts , incense , one candle , a lighter , some text to read and … WATER…
God, I never realized how precious water is and I sucked the one and half liter bottle almost to the end but stopped: he might not be back that soon.
The window closed – BACK TO DARKNESS.
A lit a candle , light brought me relief, end of blindness but made me very sad as well after seeing where I was.
I ate and finally opened the text: “ THE PRECIOUS HUMAN REBIRTH” by Ven.Lama Dagpo Rimpoche .
The text was part of THE LAMRIM: a Tibetan Buddhist teaching which means : “ Stages of the Path to Enlightenment”. And encompasses all the wisdom of Dharma (Buddha’s teachings )
I learned how rare and precious this human form is , with its freedoms and endowments.
We are free of obstacles which could make it impossible to improve spiritually like being born as an animal, hungry ghost or in a desert island where Dharma is not available, …etc
We are endowed with all the faculties we need to study and understand Dharma. We have access to precious books and can count on a guru …etc.
Have learned that only one thing is for sure, we all going to die and one thing we are not sure, when we gone die, so we have no time to waist but act in accordance to virtuous behavior and collect good merit in order to create a good Karma an a good Rebirth.
Like a miracle those words of wisdom let go on my pain and I felt REBORN .
It was amazing how my state of mind changed. I was smiling alone, conscious that nothing happens without a reason and instead of crying I started to pray and thank the GUIDES of the World for that unique chance I was given: It was the… AWEAKENING OF MY MIND.
Today,two years after that moment I'm totally aware and understand it all.
Have learned that every thing we experience is the fruit of a Karmic behavior created in the past or in previous lifes.
Today I know how suffering is important for our growth. And that suffering comes from the mind : from attachment , desire , ignorance …etc.
I let go of hatred and hanger I kept inside. I found out the text was send to me by Mr. RIO HELMI , a Buddhist master who comes here every week and as a Bodhisattva makes the inmates happy and suffer a bit less.
I was aloud out and had my refuge ( Baptism ) at the temple in Ubud.
I read the Bible , book of the spirits ( A.Kardek) , Taoism , etc…
I was raised between Catholicism (Mum), Protestantism (Dad) and I’ve learned
to respect every single entity, God whatever one believes enough to have faith.
“ God is too big to fit in one religion “, when the student is ready the Guru shows his face.
I found my way and I hope every one could find theirs, there are several roads… All of them will guide you to light
“ I would like to express my eternal gratitude for Mr. Rio Helmi and to everyone willing to help
Rogerio Paez
Contact by e-mail : freedharma2005@yahoo.com
PostScript:
I would not be asking for financial help if I wasn’t desperate.
I have every thing requested to re-open my case and have a new trial but I cannot afford the expenses and lawyer fees.
Your donation is the only way to get my freedom back. no words would be enough express my gratitude .
THANKS SO VERY MUCH
Mr. Rogerio Pecanha Paez
Bank Mandiri- Legian Branch –
Kuta 80361 –
account number: 145-00-0402812-8
code swift :BEIIIDJA
posted by ROGERIO PAEZ at 2:53 AM
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