Russian medical university against Bersih 3.0 rally

Students of a medical university in Russia claim that they were intimidated by University authorities for holding a Bersih 3.0 protest.

PETALING JAYA: Bersih 3.0 protest organisers in Kursk State Medical University,Russia, claim that they were intimidated by university authorities for organising such an event.

Student organisers eventually were forced to not only change the venue of the gathering but also delete any online information of the planned gathering. The gathering was planned in conjunction with the global Bersih movement.

A student organiser send a email to FMT via email, stating the initial plans of carrying out the event at Kurk Gate, Park Pabedi. They had created a Facebook page to publicised the event.

“But on the day before the planned rally, President of the Kursk Malaysian Student Association (KSMA) called me and the other organisers and informed us that the Dean of International Affair wanted to see him over the event,

“He met with the Dean who conveyed that the University received information that the students were going to protest and march on the road. He said that the police have been alerted and they were on standby,” said the student.

He added that the KSMA president had to deny that any such event was planned.

“I was freaked out. If my name was given to the Dean’s office, I would have been expelled. I am from a moderate family and my dad is a retiree.If  I am expelled, my future is gone,” he said.

The organisers then deleted the Facebook page but decided to change the venue to Puskhkin drama theater instead.

Asked why they decided to go ahead with the event, the student said that it was the sense of loyalty to his “motherland”.

“We may be overseas, but we are still Malaysians. We will not be quite if something happens to our motherland. We are pursuing an education because we want to make our country better in the future,

“To us Bersih’s demands are justified. Why are simple demands such as cleaning up the electoral roll and demanding for an independent Electoral Commission (EC) so difficult to meet,” he said.

Eighteen students eventually gathered at the drama theater to show their solidarity and wore masks to hide their identity.

According to a Bersih’s statement, people gathered at 80 cities around the world to show their solidarity to Bersih’s cause.

About 80 000 people took to the streets on Saturday to participate in the electoral watchdog;s third rally.

The peaceful rally turned violent after 3pm when a few protesters breached the barriers which cordoned off Dataran Merdeka. Tear-gas and water cannon were used to disperse the crowd and a brawl between police and protesters ensured for about four hours.