Aliran Media Statement
Why Did the Police Frustrate the Anti-VAW Gathering?
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AWAM's efforts should have been applauded |
Aliran condemns the authorities for frustrating the All Women's Action Society's efforts to hold a public gathering to protest the rising tide of rape and violence against women.
In the wake of the Canny Ong rape-murder case and the unabated spate of cases involving violence against women, AWAM's efforts should have been applauded. In fact, thinking Malaysians would have expected the police to have co-operated in this public endeavour to fight such crimes.
Instead, the authorities last week rejected AWAM's initial attempt to organise an outdoor march from Bangsar Shopping Complex to nearby Bangsar Baru. The organisers were forced to relocate the event indoors at the Mid-Valley Exhibition Centre on Sunday. But when they applied for a permit, they were given the run-around by the venue owners and the police, each insisting that the other's approval was required first.
It is absurd for the police to insist that the venue owner's approval for an indoor gathering is necessary before a police permit can be issued to the organisers. The police should know very well that venue owners are only willing to give permission to the organisers when a police permit is produced.
This refusal to allow a gathering creates grave doubt as to whether the police are really serious about asking the public to co-operate in fighting crime. It appears that it is the police who are unwilling to co-operate with the public.
Why was permission denied? If the police can allow a May Day outdoor gathering at Dataran Merdeka organised by grassroots groups, why can't they allow the women's groups to organise a gathering? In spite of the police apprehension before the May Day gathering, they were pleasantly surprised that the gathering was so orderly and responsible and even complimented the organisers.
We want to know the real reason why the police blocked this gathering. It sends a wrong signal to the perpetrators of violence against women. If 'national security' is the reason for the permit rejection, we have to ask how a peaceful gathering of this nature could tear society asunder.
In a supposedly caring society, one would have expected the authorities to give full and unconditional backing to the gathering instead of leading us to believe that they lack compassion and are gender-insensitive. A peaceful public demonstration would have shown that society is fully behind the police in condemning and combating these crimes and that the community stands in solidarity with the victims of violence and their families.
Are we to conclude that the authorities are worried that allowing such gatherings would mean giving in to the people's demand for more democratic space and recognising their right to assemble peacefully? Aliran calls on the relevant authorities to reconsider their decision. To do otherwise would be tantamount to undermining the public's right to freedom of expression and security.
Dr. Mustafa K. Anuar
Asst. Secretary
22 July 2003
This statement was sent to the local media including The Star, New Straits Times, and The Sun.
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