UN body tells Putrajaya to let Bersih be

 

Protect rights of your people to gather peacefully and express their opinion, and investigate all threats and acts of intimidation, says UN Human Rights Commissioner.

PETALING JAYA: A United Nations (UN) body has urged the Malaysian government to abide by international human rights obligations and to allow the Bersih 5 rally to proceed.

The office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, based in Geneva, Switzerland released a statement yesterday, calling for Putrajaya to open investigations into the harrassment and intimidation by certain groups against Bersih 5 organisers and partipants.

“We are concerned by reports that organisers of an anti-government protest in Malaysia have been subjected to threats and harassment, and we call on all sides to stay calm and exercise restraint ahead of this weekend’s planned rally in Kuala Lumpur,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani said.

The call to open investigations is understood to be referring to the acts of harrassment and intimidation by the Red Shirts movement, led by Jamal Yunos, since the Bersih 5 roadshow started nationwide early last month.

The UN body also listed the threats made to the lives of Bersih 2.0 chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah and her family, as well as other past and present Bersih activists; the vandalising and burning of cars belonging to Bersih activists; and other confrontations, as acts that need urgent police probe.

Bersih 5, organised by Bersih 2.0, is scheduled to take place this Saturday, with participants congregating at different parts of the city before walking to Dataran Merdeka.

The Red Shirts have also organised a counter rally on the same day and said they will gather at Dataran Merdeka as well.

Now we are attracting world attention. What are these Umno leaders doing? They should rebuke their own member Jamal but instead are protecting and maybe paying him well, like Dr. M. said. Police also are not doing much, if he was an opposition member or activist - he probably be dealt with severely!