A note from the 9th

What kind of a government shoots tear gas at unarmed citizens, sitting on the ground, asking for peace?

By Katrina

Thousands upon thousands,
Marching, walking, wheeling
together.

A familiar strain – Negaraku.
We stop. Stand in reverence
A flag waves in our hearts
We sing –
My country.
Yes, it’s the mine of all of us.

Pride. Elation.
We walk walk walk together.
The police – they stand
In angry gear;
Beastly batons,
Menacing tanks,
Aiming straight at us
guns loaded with terror-smoke.

A leader emerges “All sit!”, he exhorts “Semua duduk!”,
His voice is echoed by others
mini-leaders ; the concerned;
thousands follow –
a sea of squatting citizens,
hopeful – ever hopeful,
that the guards will part,
and the sea of us
will flow.

A voice is heard –
we want peace
Softly at first
then stronger
We join “We want peace”
We chant we chant
The quiet strength builds
Peace – yes, that’s what we want

Bang! Bang! Bang!
They aim for us
Without warning
The anger is shot out at us
The us that has asked for peace;
why do they hate us?

why are they so angry?

Smoke – bitter, burning smoke
Searing; stinging; tearing

Everywhere!
Oh God – in my eyes,
my throat
my mouth,
my lungs
It burns, it burns!

Run – we try to run
Scrambling;
Screaming for salt
Water
Mercy.

Eyes shut,
Arms reaching out for help
Someone hands the salt
Water is thrown
We choke
and gag.

The heavens
thank God for the heavens
and the rain pouring down
in solidarity
with the mass of people
united for peace,
attacked for it.

~katrina.

*Katrina Jorene Maliamauv was among the participants at the BERSIH 2.0 rally who were shot at from multiple directions by teargas, right after they started singing “we want peace”. Along with hundreds of other people, she sought shelter in the grounds of Tung Shin and Chinese Maternity Hospital, where she witnessed in horror as teargas and water cannons were fired straight into the compound, and police employing brutal force stormed in and arrested peaceful ralliers.

She asks you – what kind of a government shoots tear gas at unarmed citizens, sitting on the ground, asking for peace?