KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 — Are activist Amri Che Mat and Pastor Raymond Koh still alive after their abductions nine and eight years ago?
Their wives said they are still living with that uncertainty and are desperately waiting for answers from the Malaysian government.
Amri’s wife Norhayati Mohd Ariffin, 52, recounted how her husband was abducted on November 24, 2016, learning the following day through a phone call that his car had been found but he was missing.
“Nine years have already passed, it is as if my children and I have just woken up,” she said, referring to her four daughters, at a forum titled “Justice for the Disappeared” today.
Despite recognition of the enforced disappearances of the two men, Norhayati said the government is still “mute” on a list of important questions.
“Where is Amri, who caused him to disappear? And until when those who are responsible will still be free without justice?
“Who caused Amri Che Mat and Raymond Koh to be disappeared? Why were they abducted like that, are they still alive, where are they?” she asked.
“Who in the police and government helped or closed their eyes and allowed this crime to happen? When will they be prosecuted?
“What disciplinary action will be taken against the police officers who were involved and who were deliberately negligent in investigating Amri and Raymond Koh’s cases?” she added.
She said that until the government answers those questions transparently, she and her family – along with Koh’s – will continue to seek answers.
Norhayati had noted that three different bodies – the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) via its inquiry, a special taskforce formed by the government, and the High Court – had all recognised that Amri and Koh were victims of enforced disappearance.
Norhayati’s voice almost broke when she spoke about her still-missing husband at one point.
Koh’s wife Susanna Liew, 69, said she and her family still suffer symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder such as fear and anxiety attacks, even eight years after her husband’s February 13, 2017 abduction.
“As long as there is uncertainty as to where Raymond is or what happened to him, we cannot find closure. It is a terrible state to be in, as we simply cannot move on,” she said.
“In death there is a body, a funeral, you can say goodbye to them. But for us there is none, and it’s really difficult for the family. We cannot grieve, we don’t know whether he is dead or alive,” she added.
Liew said she had suffered due to the police’s “strong and frequent interrogations” after her husband’s abduction.
“Instead of treating me as a victim, I felt like I was a criminal, being accused of doing wrong things while I did not do anything to deserve such treatment,” she said
Liew teared up when she spoke of how her daughter Esther suffers from depression and panic attacks, with the daughter’s physical health still affected because of what happened to Koh.
“We have gone before for counselling and that helped us to cope with the emotional and mental anguish caused by the abduction and the way the police handled the case,” she said.
On November 5, the High Court ordered the police to restart investigations on Amri’s and Koh’s disappearances and to provide updates every two months to the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) that could lead to the disclosure of the location of these two men.
Liew said the High Court’s order for investigations is aimed at bringing closure to the two families, and wants to know what the AGC and Home Minister would do about this investigation.
“And my desire is to see that there is closure for the family, that the perpetrators of the abduction will be brought to justice, because I do not wish for any other person to have to go through what we have experienced,” she said, noting that the abductions had taken a toll on their physical, mental and psychological health and also affects their surrounding community and society.
“Because it has this ripple effect, and how can citizens feel safe and secure knowing that the very people who are supposed to protect them are the ones who abduct people and disappearing them and giving no closure to the families,” she said.
The forum today was organised by the National Human Rights Society (Hakam) and was held in conjunction with Human Rights Day, which is celebrated internationally on December 10 every year. - malaymail
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.