Tuesday, May 8, 2012

BERSIH URGES MALAYSIA GOVERNMENT TO INVITE UN RAPPORTEURS


PRESS STATEMENT

BERSIH URGES MALAYSIA GOVERNMENT TO INVITE UN RAPPORTEURS

08th May 2012


Bersih 2.0 welcomes the offer made by Mr Frank La Rue of Guatemala, who currently serves as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, to visit Malaysia and to carry out an investigation into the events of the BERSIH 3.0 assembly on 28 April 2011.  Such an investigation ought to examine the role of Bersih 2.0 as the organiser and the responsibility of the Royal Malaysia Police and the Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur in facilitating such an assembly.  We are ready to give every cooperation in such an investigation.

On 28 April 2012 Malaysia experienced arguably the largest peaceful gathering ever of approximately 250,000 people who came on to the streets of Kuala Lumpur to support BERSIH 2.0's call for clean, free and fair elections.  Gatherings also took place at 80 other cities around the world in support of the globally-faced international movement for clean, free and fair elections.  We express concern that the Malaysian Government appears to be requesting governments not disposed to democratic reforms to launch a crack-down on Malaysians living in their countries who participated in the global BERSIH 3.0 event on 28 April 2012.  If these reports are true, it is a negative development that must be deplored, and we urge all Malaysians to unite in support of the safety of our fellow citizens.


 We are confident that Mr. La Rue, should he receive a formal invitation from the Malaysian Government, will be able to conduct a transparent and thorough investigation in order to provide an independent determination as to the exact events of the BERSIH 3.0 assembly on 28 April 2008 with respect to the violence that occurred later that day.  In an unprecedented show of force, many instances of brutality by the Royal Malaysia Police against peaceful participants were reported.  Members of the media were also not spared from these acts of brutality.  Disproportionate force was also applied in an indiscriminate response and widespread retaliation for the breaching of police barricades, even though the court-ordered exclusion of Dataran Merdeka, the intended venue of the peaceful assembly, was not disobeyed.

While the Malaysian Government has announced the formation of an independent panel to review the events of 28 April 2012, we call on the Malaysian Government to allow Mr. La Rue into Malaysia to carry out his investigation as a matter of urgency.  Indeed we also recommend that the Malaysian Government issue an immediate invitation to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association, Mr. Maina Kiai of Kenya, to also visit Malaysia and to undertake an investigation.

We say that it is important that valuable lessons are learned from this episode in our nation's history so that the freedoms of expression, assembly and association enshrined in our Federal Constitution are not rendered illusory.  If indeed the Government has nothing to hide and is keen for the truth to be established, in the interests of the Rakyat, then this would be an ideal occasion and opportunity to do so.

Salam BERSIH!

For further information, you may contact us at:
Email:  info@bersih.org
Tel: 03-7772 3275 or Fax: 03-7784 4978

Steering Committee
Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections 2.0 (BERSIH 2.0)

The Steering Committee of BERSIH 2.0 comprises:
Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan (Co-Chairperson), Datuk A. Samad Said (Co-Chairperson), Ahmad Shukri Abdul Razab, Andrew Ambrose, Andrew Khoo, Anne Lasimbang, Arul Prakkash, Arumugam K., Awang Abdillah, Dr Farouk Musa, Hishamuddin Rais, Liau Kok Fah, Maria Chin Abdullah, Matthew Vincent, Niloh Ason, Richard Y W Yeoh, Dr Subramaniam Pillay, Dato’ Dr Toh Kin Woon, Dr Wong Chin Huat, Dato’ Yeo Yang Poh, Zaid Kamaruddin.

0 comments:

Pengumuman / 启事 / Notification

Pertukaran alamat blog dan e-mel

Selamat sejahtera, Sahabat Rakyat Working Committee akan menggunakan alamat e-mail dan alamat laman web (Blog) yang baru seperti berikut bermula 1 Januari 2014:

Emel: sahabatrakyat.my@gmail.com
Blog: http://sahabatrakyatmy.blogspot.com

Sekian, terima kasih dan Selamat Tahun Baru!

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

更换部落格网址与电邮地址

本工委会由2014年1月1日起,开始全面使用以下新电邮地址及部落格:

电邮地址:
sahabatrakyat.my@gmail.com
部落格:http://sahabatrakyatmy.blogspot.com

谢谢关注。祝大家新年进步!

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

Change of blog and email addresses

Please be informed that Sahabat Rakyat Working Committee will be using the new email and blog addresses below commencing 1 Jan 2014:

Email:
sahabatrakyat.my@gmail.com
Blog: http://sahabatrakyatmy.blogspot.com

Wishing you a progressive new year!

通告

    欢迎热心人士下载印发、
资助印制大选告人民书
把国阵抛弃到历史的垃圾堆中去!

作为活跃于柔佛州的为民主人权和民族尊严而奋斗的两个组织——柔佛州人民之友工委会与柔州兴权会(HINDRAF JOHORE)针对第13届大选,在去年底联合发表了一篇主题为“打破巫统霸权,建立民主联合阵线;团结全州人民,实现三大迫切诉求”的《告柔佛州人民书》;我们毫不犹疑,也毫不含糊主张“把国阵抛弃到历史的垃圾堆中去”。

我们在去年底的几个大规模群众集会期间,将《告柔佛州人民书》的四种语文(巫、华、印、英)传单派发给群众。我们也想要到各地去分发这份传单又力所不逮,特在此提供四种语文的PDF版本,以便各方热心人士下载、印制成传单,分发给需要阅读它而又不懂上网的亲戚朋友和各界人士,帮助我们把传单传得更广。
……

点击此处以阅读全文

 

Malaysia Time (GMT+8)