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| Activists at Bkt Aman |
Since late June, there were more than 150 Bersih 2.0 related arrests including 6 PSM members including Saras and Dr Kumar. These activists have been involved for the cause of justice since the 1980s.
7 July, '11. NGOs including PSWS and Pakatan party members supported the call for the release of the 6 PSM activists detained under EO. NGOs who work with Orang Asli, women workers, community issues and credit unions were there.
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| 6July. Saras taken to Jln Duta Court |
Saras, community and women's activist
Saras, a former seamstress, has been tirelessly involved in women's and small farmers' rights. In the '80s she was leading Alaigal (Tamil word meaning waves). In one of their awareness programs on oppressive cultural practices they used dramas. She was also involved in assisting small farmers in Ipoh.
Intimidation
* EMPOWER office raided. Staff detained by police.
* Rakyat warned not to wear yelloh, Bersih T-shirts. Today in a school in Kajang, the headmaster warned teachers and students they are not to wear anything yellow including Bersih T-shirts. Teachers have been given notices in red not to take part in any rallies.
* Chow Kit market vendors told not to open their stalls on 9.7
* 11 roads are closed including the Federal Highway, the live vein of Kuala Lumpur - this is unprecendented. The govt. themselves will incur losses for this country on choosing this draconian option.
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| Police's Ops Bersih. Source FMT |
Human rights violations
Malaysia like Burma remains one of the last countries in Asia that refuse to sign the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Malaysia has numerous human rights violations.
Harassment
* Several activists involved in the Bersih Secretariat have been called for questioning, their families being intimidated.
* Editors of newspapers have the "hangman's noose" hanging over their heads - their printing licences being revoked if they don't follow instructions from authorities.
* Overseas Malaysian scholarship students are threatened - their scholarships being revoked if they take part in rallies like Bersih.
Massive Budget for Clampdown
Closing roads, sending letters to all government schools, police on red alert just because the government refuses to allow a peaceful rally. How much would this cost the tax payer?
Repititon of Events From the Past
1960s RallyThousands of people were involved in the early 1960s demonstration where the rakyat asked for Democracy and Fair Elections. In this demonstration the police had 4-5 blocks of major trunk roads leading into Kuala Lumpur. Parti Rakyat and Parti Buruh were part of the coalition called the Socialist Front. Two nights before the event the government arrested leaders. Special Branch personnel arrested rakyat during the rally on that day. One socialist activist was beaten to death in Kampar. Tang Pow Kwan who died after the beatings had organised drama events to create awarness on the rakyat's rights. Every year the Front remembers his contributions on his death anniversary. Another activist was shot to death in Kuala Lumpur, during the demonstration. These are activists who fought for democracy but were cruelly crushed.
May 13, 1969 elections
Lim Soon Seng who was putting up posters were shot dead by the police. At that time the Socialist Front boycotted the elections as it was not fair.
1987 Operasi Lallang (Operation Lallang - lallang is unwanted grass)
During this Tun Mahathir as Prime Minister arrested more than 100 people, shut down the media, had various laws enacted to shackle the judiciary, press, university students and other civil rights movements. He created racial disharmony, threats - to instill fear in the rakyat - tactics used since British times.
