Sarawak Festival of Rights at Old Courthouse

KUCHING, December 10, 2016 - Old Courthouse was a hive of activities today.

Several civil societies, including Amnesty International Malaysia, Save Rivers and Purple Lily, organised a day-long Sarawak Festival of Rights held in conjunction with International Human Rights Day which fell today.

 Civil society leaders launching International Human Rights Day.

Other participating civil societies were Rise of Sarawak Efforts,  Teori Timur, Sisters United, Lawyer Kamek For Change, Ikram Sarawak, Sarawak AIDS Concern Society, SCRIPS and Jaringan Orang Asal Se-Malaysia.

The activities included public forum and short film screening, presentations by Save Rivers on the dams, Sarawak AIDS Concern Society and Rise of Sarawak Efforts.

Purple Lily presented a topic on women empowerment.

There were also handicraft and book exhibitions and sale.

Picture (right): Rattan baskets from the Penan community exhibited and for sale.

 

Speaking at the opening of the festival, Soraya Bujang, chair of Purple Lily, said human rights concerned everybody.

But unfortunately, she said many do not want to come forward to express their rights as human beings.

"As human beings, we have a lot to do improve our rights and must be prepared to fight for it," she said, pointing out that many were shy or afraid to come forward.