I was there too, in yellow!

I was contemplating for weeks of whether to attend the BERSIH’s peaceful gathering to submit a memorandum to the Yang DiPertuan Agong on electoral reforms - to demand for a free and clean election.


10 Nov, I was awakened by an SMS saying that all the roads leading into KL are closed, and police are everywhere. Anyone in yellow will be stopped.

My colleague who was heading to Melaka said that his bus was detour as the route to the Istana was closed, advising me to be careful when attending the peaceful walk later.

Later, I got online, and chatted with some of my friends. I was still deciding if I should go. People said that the gathering is illegal and those who are attending might get caught. My friend had even forwarded me a document on "The police & our right" - how to response when we're caught. My adrenaline was running high.

Should I go? Should I wear yellow? Will I be arrested? What if I was arrested? Why should I go? So many questions were running through my head.

Having to try to advocate the importance of voting and registration as a voters among my friends and family, I told myself that, I should walk the talk. If I truly believe that, we could change things by casting our votes, and if the ballot box is indeed haunted by phantom voters, tempered, gerrymandered and etc, then I should support the cause to call for a free, clean and fair process for the coming election. I told myself that, YES, I want to walk for this cause and be counted. And I think I would regret if I did not attend it...

I was at the Burger King in Masjid Jamek at about 1.30pm with my friends. We were not in yellow but we brought our yellow shirt, towel and water (in case of tear gas, we can wipe our eyes with the wet towel).

We were standing with the lawyers from the Bar Council who were there as Observers. Later, I saw many people wearing "Unit Amal Kebajikan" in red lining up, getting ready to march into Dataran Mederka. A lawyer told me that these people are from PAS.

The FRU trucks were in front of them. At that point, I was feeling excited and scared at the same time.

Suddenly the FRU started firing water cannon without warning. I thought that was unnecessary as the crowds were not violently protesting. There were no riots, no warning issue by the FRU, no nothing, and there’s absolutely no REASON for them to do that.

If the police truly care for the public safety, like what the mainstream news reported, they should not even fire the water cannon or the tear gas. At this juncture, the Burger King staffs hurriedly closed their shop, and asked people to retreat into the shop if they want shelter or leave. I was panicked. It was really scary. I continued to stand at the side to watch. It’s sad, but it’s true, I was only like an observer, I didn’t join in the crowd to brave the FRU. They tried to break the FRU barrier to march into Dataran Merdeka a few times, but were hold back by water cannons and tear gas fired by the FRU. I admired their courage and persistence. Despite of being attacked, they did not resort to violence.

We knew that there’s no chance for us to go into the Dataran Merdeka. Updates said that the other marchers are now walking towards the Istana from Masjid Negara. So, we followed suit. At first I did not know where we were walking to, either to Masjid Negara or to the Istana. I just followed the lawyers, my friends and the crowds in yellow. At that point, I’ve decided walk with my yellow shirt. So, I’ve joined the “gelombang kuning”.

We walked past the Bar Council to Pasar Seni, and from Pasar Seni to the Istana. As we reached Istana, I see a sea of yellow people and many of them were Malays. I wonder where the other ethnic groups are. Many of them were PAS and Keadilan supporters.. My friend felt that we were decoyed as this seemed to be the oppositions’ rally, due to the heavy presence of our Malay friends, as result of the absence of other races.

However, I felt that, it was their commitments and supports that had made this the biggest ever peaceful protest in Malaysia.

No, none of them yell any of their party slogans.

Some slogans that I heard were, “Daulat Tuanku”, “Hidup rakyat, Hidup! Hidup”, “God is great”. I’ve also heard the shout of “Reformasi” at one point. It’s true that this phrase is tightly coupled to Anwar, however, it is also correct that we need a reformation in our electoral system, thus, “reformasi” is needed.

Anyway, I’m glad I joined thousands in the walk on 10^th November 2007 for a free, clean and fair election.

.. Free Burma Vigil...

"Please use your liberty to promote ours"
- Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, detained Nobel Peace Laureate

There were people from all walks of life in the vigil yesterday night. It really feel good to see people with diverse background coming together in unity to make a stand against the injustice in Burma.

I was a bit disappointed when the vigil is not reported by our mainstream newspaper today. My friend told me that, it will definately not be covered as one of the demand from the vigil was for all Malaysian companies to pull out from Burma. Plus, we were protesting in front of the HQ of one of the main investors in Burma.

Other requests are for ASEAN to sack Burma, calling for China and Russia to abandon the economic interest in Burma and to intefere, calling for our Malaysian government to act, calling for the international sanctions against Myanmar et al. (will update more when I get hold of the joint statement by the organisers)

The vigil ended with some speeches by the Burmese people and a song presentation of "Heal the world" by the Burmese children.



more photo here.

***

After reading more on Burma; about the massacre of the monks who led the peaceful protest due the insane increase of the petrol price in Burma, about accounts from people inside Burma, about the struggles and endurance of Ms Aung San Suu Kyi to bring democracy to her country, my heart cries with the Burmese people. I was more compelled to attend the solidarity vigil in support of the Burma's people when I heard about it.

I asked myself what can I do to help? I don't know, but I know it can be started somewhere, as small as it may be.

How?
1) Pray

2) Stand with the Burmese Protesters by signing the online petition.

"We stand alongside the citizens of Burma in their peaceful protests. We urge you to oppose a violent crackdown on the demonstrators, and to support genuine reconciliation and democracy in Burma. We pledge to hold you accountable for any further bloodshed."

3) Attend the Vigil/ any peaceful protest.

4) Join Amnesty International to urgently send emails, faxes or letters in English or your own language. Get template of letter and contact details.

"There has been a flood of reports of alleged brutal killings, disappearances and arrests as the military in Myanmar stamped out the anti-government protests of the last week."

5) Give to Burma

Also, today, over 30 cities around the world are staging a rally against the bloody crackdown of anti-government protest.
The world marches for Burma.
Living in fear in Burma

 

Solidarity Vigil in Support of Burma's People

This is from SUARAM:

Please attend the following peaceful solidarity vigil in support of Burma's people, who are unable to exercise their human rights in their country, and to express our opposition towards the Burma military junta's bloody crackdown on anti-government protests. At least 13 people were killed and hundreds arrested in the crackdown on demonstration of Buddhist monks and Burma's people.

The vigil is an initiative of civil society organisations, including Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM), Civil Rights Committee of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH-CRC), Youth For Change (Y4C) and Amnesty International (AI) Malaysia.

Date:
Friday, 5 October 2007


Time:
8.00 p.m.

Venue:
KLCC (entrance nearest to Menara Maxis, opposite Avenue K)

Please come to show your solidarity. Please bring candles, candle-holders and banners.

For further information, please contact SUARAM (MoonHui) at 03-77843525 or Amnesty International (K.Shan) at 03-79552680.

.a candle for freedom.

I'll be there tonight.

Candlelight Vigil

There will be a peaceful candlelight vigil in support of Revathi, and many others like her, who are unable to fully exercise their Constitutionally-guaranteed freedom of faith.

The vigil is an initiative of civil society organisations including MCCBCHST (the Malaysian Consultative Council on Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism) and various women’s rights groups (All Women’s Action Society (AWAM), Sisters in Islam (SIS), Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO), Women’s Centre for Change, Penang (WCC) and Women’s Development Collective (WDC)).

Date: Tuesday, 19 June 2007

Time: 8 p.m.

Venue: Dataran Merdeka (at the flagpole)

Show your support in affirming the supremacy of the Federal Constitution and its protection of our fundamental liberties, including the freedom of belief.

Bring candles, candle-holders and banners.

***********************************************************************

Summary of Revathi’s case:

Revathi, an ethnic Indian woman, has been held in a rehabilitation center run by Islamic authorities since January 2007 because she wants the State to acknowledge she is a Hindu and not a Muslim.

Revathi was born to Indian parents who had converted to Islam before her birth. She claims she was raised by her grandmother as a Hindu. She and Suresh were married according to Hindu rites in March 2004. Revathi was advised by the Malacca Islamic Religious Department to make an application at the Malacca Syariah High Court to confirm her status as a Hindu. She did as she was told.

However, the Syariah Court ordered her detained in a rehabilitation centre in Ulu Yam, Selangor under Melaka’s Syariah criminal laws for 100 days. This detention was extended in Revathi’s absence for a further 80 days supposedly because she had not “repented”. In the meanwhile, Revathi’s Muslim mother obtained a Syariah Court order granting her custody of Revathi and Suresh’s 15 month old baby. That order was enforced on Suresh’s Hindu family with the assistance of the police.

The family is now torn apart - with the mother in detention, the child with the grandparents and the father in limbo without his family.

Link:
Malaysia Bar Forum