NO TO RAPE!

For All Women – interview

Dana interview

For All Women

For All Women

An Ethicist speaks out on AWARE – Alexandra Serrenti

AN OPEN LETTER ON AWARE

Having had the opportunity to work with AWARE on several previous initiatives, I would like to state for the public record, that I was deeply impressed with the seriousness, sincerity and depth of commitment of AWARE volunteers and counsellors that I have encountered over the years. AWARE, through the efforts of generations of long-term members, has made invaluable contributions to the protection of women, to supporting vulnerable members of the community, and to public education.

I was therefore deeply disturbed to learn of the events at AWARE’s AGM in which there appeared to have been a concerted attempt at hijacking an organisation that has worked consistently and quietly in Singapore to protect and promote the interests of women. What is particularly objectionable is the lack of transparency of the new office bearers concerning their alternative vision for Singapore’s oldest women’s group. What is it about their new vision which is so threatening that they feel they are unable to communicate it publicly? If, on the other hand, as they say, they are not communicating their position because they are new office bearers and have not as yet gained an understanding of the organisation, then questions need to be raised concerning their suitability for office as it suggests that they are ill-prepared and ill- qualified to lead this organisation. This is especially true when you consider the wealth of experience and talent already existing in AWARE, from whom office-bearers could be drawn. The secrecy which has shrouded the new executive committee and also the manner in which the new leadership has come to power has left significant doubt in the minds of concerned observers as to their integrity, honour and good intentions.

The press has pointed to the religious affiliations of many members of the new Executive Committee of AWARE. I respect the rights of all persons to commit themselves to lives of conscience. However, the appropriate exercise of a life of conscience in civic society is to form one’s own religiously-based advocacy group and to be clear about the fact that those religious values are the values that animate its services. It is neither necessary nor appropriate for such a group to engineer a take-over of an organisation with a clearly secular pedigree and in the process, disenfranchise and marginalise a group of women who have worked tremendously hard to be heard and taken seriously. The composition of the new executive committee is hardly representative of Singapore’s multi-religious, multi-racial heritage.

I wish to place on record, as a professional ethicist and philosopher, my deep reservations concerning the future impartiality and professionalism of AWARE’s counselling and social education programmes in light of the religious affiliations of most of the members of the new Executive Committee. This is a point of particular concern given the fact that AWARE’s counselling services are often the last resort for many women at risk who deserve our special protection and care. In particular, the religious affiliations of the executive committee appear to be such that they are unlikely to endorse the following:

a) that victims of familial abuse be given advice and support to leave their families and spouses where necessary if it is determined that they are at risk, given the “pro-family” stance of the executive committee.

b) that rape victims be given access and support to all options during their counselling sessions, including advice on abortion, given the “anti-abortion” stance of the religious organisations many of these women belong to.

c) that sexual education programmes will include information about the use of contraceptives in the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy, given the “pro-abstinence” positions of the religious organisations many of these women belong to.

d) that homosexual women seeking advice and help be supported in their struggles to come to terms with their identities in a supportive environment since it is clearly documented in previous letters to the press that members of the executive committee believe homosexuals are psychologically disturbed — a position that is clearly and unequivocally at odds to the official positions of numerous professional bodies of psychiatrists and psychologists, including the American Psychiatric Association (APA), American Psychological Association, The Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK, The World Heath Organisation, the Chinese Psychiatric Association amongst others.

I would be significantly reassured by the executive committee if they were to state unequivocally for the public record:

a) their exact positions on the points raised above pertaining to the social service programmes of AWARE so that clients may be better informed of the ethos and principles which govern the counselling they will be provided and may choose to go elsewhere if they do not agree that vision.

b) offer an assurance of non-interference in the professionalism, independence and impartiality of their counsellors to provide advice with courage and concern only for the welfare of the clients who seek them out.

This is not an issue of religious versus secular life, or of endorsement or condemnation of homosexuality, or of being anti or pro-abortion. It is an issue about transparency and honesty in the provision of social services and leadership so that women can make informed choices about the sorts of organisations they want to support and to have support them. Transparency and honesty, however, have been sadly lacking in the new executive committee of AWARE.

Alexandra Serrenti

Save AWARE

WHAT HAPPENED

On March 28, AWARE was taken over by a group of newcomers who had only recently joined the organisation. 102 people turned up for AWARE’s annual general meeting (AGM), which had been relatively less well-attended in the past. 80 of these attendants had only recently joined AWARE between January and March 2009.

When the election of office bearers began, almost every position was challenged by a member of this group. 9 out of 12 of the executive committee memberships went to newcomers, who were voted in by wide majorities.

Claire Nazar nominated by out-going President, Constance Singam, was the only one voted in unopposed. She resigned the Presidency 11 days into office. Josie Lau was subsequently appointed by the new Exco to take her place.

There are wide-ranging suspicions that this “leadership grab” has been orchestrated by women seeking to use the name and the resources of a well-respected institution to further their own agenda.

These concerns have been expressed not only by onlookers, but by older members of Aware.

• The new group at the AGM felt that it was not relevant to make known their “religion and views on homosexuality”.
• Except for Jenica Chua (and old AWARE members, Caris Lim and Chew I-Jin) other members of the new Exco joined AWARE only in the last five months; none of them has served in AWARE committees nor participated in AWARE initiatives as volunteers.
• The new Exco has terminated all the current heads of the AWARE sub-committees, including Braema Mathi, Chairperson of AWARE’s CEDAW Committee (CEDAW stands for Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, an international bill of rights for women adopted by the UN).
• The new Exco has kept ex-President, Constance Singam out of Exco meetings, which is unconstitutional.
• Constance Singam and Claire Nazar have resigned from the new Exco on the grounds that their advice and direction have been totally disregarded by members of the new Exco.
• The new president, Josie Lau and 5 other Exco members belong to the same church, Church of Our Saviour. Given this, it is very likely, in our view, that they have acted in concert to take over AWARE. We do not know why as they have refused to disclose their reasons to either members of AWARE or to the press and this makes us even more worried. They, or persons whom they have been associated with, have written homophobic letters to the press. While that is their personal conviction to which they are entitled to, we do not want AWARE to be made into a vehicle for any secret agenda, whether pro or anti homosexuals or heterosexuals for that matter.
• Josie Lau, was in charge of the DBS Charity Drive in support of Focus On The Family, a radical rightwing US-based Christian organisation. This created a controversy last year which was well-documented. We think that a Singapore organisation should be based on Singapore values and not US rightwing values.
• 160 members, including former AWARE committee members and founder members, petitioned for an extraordinary general meeting to consider a vote of no confidence in the New Exco on the basis that the New Exco has not acted and is not acting in the best interest of AWARE; does not appreciate or share the values of AWARE and does not have the requisite experience of carrying out AWARE’s work or is otherwise inadequate to further AWARE’s objectives. An EGM will be held on 2 May 2009.

—————

To help please go to -
http://we-are-aware.sg/

Benediction by Rev Joseph Lowery

Youtube

Transcript of Rev. Lowery’s Inaugural Benediction

Rev. Joseph Lowery, who co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Martin Luther King Jr., delivered the benediction at the inaugural ceremony. Below is a transcription of his address, provided by CQ Transcriptwire:

[*] LOWERY: God of our weary years, god of our silent tears, thou, who has brought us thus far along the way, thou, who has by thy might led us into the light, keep us forever in the path we pray, lest our feet stray from the places, our god, where we met thee, lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee.

Shadowed beneath thy hand, may we forever stand true to thee, oh God, and true to our native land.

We truly give thanks for the glorious experience we’ve shared this day.

We pay now, oh Lord, for your blessing upon thy servant Barack Obama, the 44th president of these United States, his family and his administration.

He has come to this high office at a low moment in the national, and indeed the global, fiscal climate. But because we know you got the whole world in your hands, we pray for not only our nation, but for the community of nations.

Our faith does not shrink though pressed by the flood of mortal ills.

LOWERY: For we know that, Lord, you are able and you’re willing to work through faithful leadership to restore stability, mend our brokenness, heal our wounds, and deliver us from the exploitation of the poor, of the least of these, and from favoritism toward the rich, the elite of these.

We thank you for the empowering of thy servant, our 44th president, to inspire our nation to believe that yes we can work together to achieve a more perfect union.

And while we have sown the seeds of greed — the wind of greed and corruption, and even as we reap the whirlwind of social and economic disruption, we seek forgiveness and we come in a spirit of unity and solidarity to commit our support to our president by our willingness to make sacrifices, to respect your creation, to turn to each other and not on each other.

LOWERY: And now, Lord, in the complex arena of human relations, help us to make choices on the side of love, not hate; on the side of inclusion, not exclusion; tolerance, not intolerance.

And as we leave this mountain top, help us to hold on to the spirit of fellowship and the oneness of our family. Let us take that power back to our homes, our workplaces, our churches, our temples, our mosques, or wherever we seek your will.

Bless President Barack, First Lady Michelle. Look over our little angelic Sasha and Malia.

We go now to walk together as children, pledging that we won’t get weary in the difficult days ahead. We know you will not leave us alone.

With your hands of power and your heart of love, help us then, now, Lord, to work for that day when nations shall not lift up sword against nation, when tanks will be beaten into tractors, when every man and every woman shall sit under his or her own vine and fig tree and none shall be afraid, when justice will roll down like waters and righteousness as a mighty stream.

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around…

(LAUGHTER)

… when yellow will be mellow…

LOWERY: … when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen.

AUDIENCE: Amen.

LOWERY: Say Amen.

AUDIENCE: Amen.

LOWERY: And Amen.

AUDIENCE: Amen.

diversity

Great to know that the new administration’s inclusive – and I don’t mean it in a sarcastic way.
While we’re advocating for diversity and inclusivity, more often then not, we are probably not very inclusive of people whose views differ from ours.
Here’s an important lesson to learn from the new administration.

Rick Warren’s stand on Proposition 8

Obama on Rick Warren for his administration’s decision to include Rick Warren at the Inauguration.

If we ask of people to be embracing, we must take the first step to embrace.

Gene Robinson’s Prayer for President-elect Barack Obama

A Prayer for the Nation and Our Next President, Barack Obama
(Also available on You Tube).

By The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire

Opening Inaugural Event
Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC
January 18, 2009

Welcome to Washington! The fun is about to begin, but first, please join me in pausing for a moment, to ask God’s blessing upon our nation and our next president.

O God of our many understandings, we pray that you will…

Bless us with tears – for a world in which over a billion people exist on less than a dollar a day, where young women from many lands are beaten and raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS.

Bless us with anger – at discrimination, at home and abroad, against refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

Bless us with discomfort – at the easy, simplistic “answers” we’ve preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about ourselves and the world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future.

Bless us with patience – and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be “fixed” anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.

Bless us with humility – open to understanding that our own needs must always be balanced with those of the world.

Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance – replacing it with a genuine respect and warm embrace of our differences, and an understanding that in our diversity, we are stronger.

Bless us with compassion and generosity – remembering that every religion’s God judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the human community, whether across town or across the world.

And God, we give you thanks for your child Barack, as he assumes the office of President of the United States.

Give him wisdom beyond his years, and inspire him with Lincoln’s reconciling leadership style, President Kennedy’s ability to enlist our best efforts, and Dr. King’s dream of a nation for ALL the people.

Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State needs a steady, calm captain in these times.

Give him stirring words, for we will need to be inspired and motivated to make the personal and common sacrifices necessary to facing the challenges ahead.

Make him color-blind, reminding him of his own words that under his leadership, there will be neither red nor blue states, but the United States.

Help him remember his own oppression as a minority, drawing on that experience of discrimination, that he might seek to change the lives of those who are still its victims.

Give him the strength to find family time and privacy, and help him remember that even though he is president, a father only gets one shot at his daughters’ childhoods.

And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask too much of our presidents, and we’re asking FAR too much of this one. We know the risk he and his wife are taking for all of us, and we implore you, O good and great God, to keep him safe. Hold him in the palm of your hand – that he might do the work we have called him to do, that he might find joy in this impossible calling, and that in the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place of integrity, prosperity and peace.

AMEN.

Vietnam Dec 2008 – budget and travel notes.

For Vicky aka Venusa aka Deebah.

Having done 10 days in Laos in 2005 for slightly less then SGD300 (accomodation, land transfers, makan, beers and shopping – flights and vaccination not included), I was quite determined to keep my Vietnam budget down.

Rounded up a group of friends and we started by booking our flights.
We did consider budget flights like Jetstar/Airasia and Tiger, but in the end settled on Vietnam Air because the timing suits us better and we can’t be bothered to deal with Tiger Air’s complicated luggage allowance system – TOOO STRESSFUL!
The flights were booked in August through a travel agent, quite fully booked already!
($425 per pax)

Would have done 10 days instead of 9, but flight on the preferred date to come home was already fully booked in August.

Accomodation for Hanoi was booked via the internet.
Did a bit of research via Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor, decided on Sunshine 3, without realising that it’s quite centrally located and on a quiet street.

At Sunshine per room was USD25, we stayed there for 3 nights, Willie and I shared a room, inclusive of tax we paid USD41.25 per pax.

Daily breakfast included, every room has its own computer (internet!), towels, shampoo, toothbrush, hairdryer, fridge, TV and aircon.

As the train to Sapa leaves only in the late evening, we decided to book just one room for all of us to keep our luggage and to shower before we get on the train. (USD5 per pax)

That plus the land transfer (USD18 for a 6 seater SUV taxi) from the airport to the hotel. (arranged by the hotel).
In total for Hanoi – USD49.85 per pax

Halong Bay land transfer to and fro, Halong Bay guide, Halong Bay lunch, Train tickets to and from Lao Cai, Sapa Accomodation were booked via Vega Travel – look for Kien.
The only thing that was not booked was the land transfer from Lao Cai to Sapa and land transfer from Sapa to Lao Cai.

Halong Bay land transfer to and fro, Halong Bay guide, Halong Bay lunch – USD50 per pax

We had the entire Junk boat to ourselves.

Train tickets to and fro Lao Cai -USD42 per pax

Royal Hotel in Sapa – USD22 per night
2 nights at the Royal Hotel 2 to a room – USD22 per pax

Inclusive of daily breakfast.

Additional USD5 per day to rent the heater, which is not even warm nuf to toast bread.
We also booked the Half-day trek at Royal Hotel - USD10 per pax (guide and lunch)

Land transfer per way Lao Cai to Sapa – VND30 000 (slightly less then SGD3)

Each of us pooled in VND100000 for Taxi rides for the whole trip.

Makan wise, if you eat at the local Pho shops, a bowl of Pho is about VND15 000.
A cuppa vietnamese drip coffee by a roadside cafe (like a kopi tiam) is about VND15000 too.
So you can actually get by with SGD10 per day, after 3 meals, more then nuf for you to get drunk on Bia Hoi.
Which is VND3000 per glass (less then SGD0.24).

Street food is safe to eat as long as you see a giant boiling pot of broth and pan of sizzling oil for frying.

My makan, beer, shopping and taxi budget was SGD300.
Managed to keep to the budget as well!

Think if we had bothered to look around a bit more, we could have done the accomodation for less.

Shopping -

• 2 Timbuk2 bags one for Charm, one for me USD15 each
• 1 Northface backpack VND400000 (less then SGD40)
• 2 silk sleeping bags one for Sheung one for me USD4 each
• 1 Northface baby backpack for my nephew Taylor (cannot remember how much)
• 1 Shawl for my mama USD4
• 3 250gram-bags of weasel coffee for my hairdresser Cheong (cannot remember how much)
• 2 giant packs of G7 3-in-1 coffee for Ah Hong (cannot remember how much)
• 5 cha-teks (shuttlecocks for kicking around like sepak tekraw) for friends VND5000 each
• an assortment of egg shell/lacquerware jewellery for my mama, sis-in-law and friends USD16
• 2 waterproof shells (jacket) for Yvonne and Adeline USD15 each
• 1 waterproof shell (jacket) USD20 for me (cos I can’t fit the USD15 ones :p)

When in sapa do go to Baguette and Chocolate Cafe and Hotel.
Here’s why.
It’s a lil pricey there (by Vietnam standards) but the food’s pretty good. Only thing is it’s a lil chilly in there if the fireplace is not fired up.

Our most extravagent makan was at the Brother’s Cafe.
Expensive and food was no good. Don’t bother going there for makan.
But maybe stroll in to absorb the ambiance alil – is so gay! (and that’s just about the only compliment I have for that place!)

Vietnam Dec 2008 – Sapa

It’s hard to describe Sapa in words.
And so, again, but more so then previous travel accounts, I’ll let the photos tell the story.

Was a lil upset that I came all that way to Sapa and my camera got sick.
It refuse to work on our first day in Sapa, think it was getting use to the cold and the altitude.
Some of the pix you can see a lil shadow on the top right hand corner, that’s my camera trying to get well.

Panaromic View

my friends and Chi (our Hmong guide) at the start of the trek

The hotel helped us arrange for a trekking guide.
Hue who works at Royal Hotel, was especially patient and helpful. We asked for a “flat and easy” trek and she assured us that it’ll be “flat and easy”. *nods*
She also asked if we preferred a guide who is from the Hmong tribe or a vietnamese guide.
We decided on a Hmong guide (must support local industry ma).
For a half day trek inclusive of guide and lunch, we paid USD10 each.

So at 9am the following day we set out for a “flat and easy” trek.
As ‘warned’ by most travel sites, we were followed by several women who tried to get us to buy stuff from them.
The typical way to start a conversation would be -
“What’s your name?”
“Where you from?”
or the more direct
“Buy from me?”

Felt a lil bad that I had to shoo them off.
I told them that we’re not interested in buying anything, and to go find someone else who will buy something from them.
Guess I would feel worse if they had followed me through the whole trek, at the end of which I would not buy anything from them.
Anyways, there was a group of 3 who followed us quietly, and I was wondering “gee… how come so patient.”

When the trek down started getting less “flat” and more steep, I realised why they were following us so closely – because some of us (like myself!) might need their help negotiating the terrain!

Thank god for the tiny Hmong lady (a quarter of me – yes she was that tiny) who was wearing a tiny beige pair of Bata sandals, with a tiny voice to match – she would hold my left hand with her tiny right hand, balancing on a tiniest pebble and steadily helped me down the difficult terrain for a good 40-45 min trek. And all this while, with her left hand she was making a horse out of the straw that she has picked along the way.

So there I was, decked out in my timberland cargoes, HiTec trekking shoes and my trekking pole, scared to death that I would just slip, roll down the slope and die unglamourously…
(even though I have my two feet planted firmly on the most gigantic flat slap of stone)

Did I mention that I have a fear of heights.

I get irrational.

I told myself to stop the ’self talk’ and just trust the gentle Hmong lady on my left.
For a good 45mins, I listened to my breath and her touch.

It was also comforting to know that Willie is always just a few steps ahead of me waiting for me to catch up, offering his strong and powderful arm whenever he thinks I needed help.

When we finally got to the lunch stop, all she wanted was for me to buy something from her.
Had a quick discussion with Adeline (who was helped by another Hmong lady), we decided that we would just give them some money for their help.

We rested for a bit for lunch – that Chi was carrying in her backpack throughout the trek!
Lunch was – Baguette, eggs, ham, cheese, cucumber, tomato, bananas and pears.
Very yummy reward after a few hours of “flat and easy” trek.

After lunch, we took a long stroll through Chi’s village – Lao Chai.

And this was what we saw -

joss sticks

At the end of the stroll, a 4 wheel drive was waiting to for us to drive us back to Sapa town. The scenic drive took us about 30mins.

After a couple of beers, we went back to the hotel for a clean up before heading out for a hotpot dinner.

Sapa in the morning -

dog meat

choosing a shawl for my mama

and finally

my travel mates and me

adeline . willie . min . jo . me

travel notes -
Our overnight train tickets and hotel were booked via Vega Travel.
When we arrived in Lao Cai, we bought bus tickets at the train station, we paid 30 000 VND each (less then SGD3).
We stayed at Royal Hotel, facilities was nothing to shout about, but the view was to die for – We got the “valley view” rooms on the 4th floor.
Bring along warm clothes if you
are heading to Sapa during winter. I was wearing 5 layers (long john, t shirt, sweater, fleece jacket and a wind proof shell) and almost froze my butt off the first day in Sapa because the heater was not powderful enough.
By the 2nd day we got smarter – Adeline figured out that the temperature dips when the sun disappears, so between 3pm and 6pm, we would park ourselves in restaurants/bars with a fire place. Not that we needed an excuse to have more beers.
Lao Cai beer was nice, just like Tsing Tao, but not as heavenly as Bia Hoi.

One other thing to note – be sure to check the expiry dates when you buy tidbits/chips at the shops in Sapa.

Guess if there is a word to describe Sapa for me, it would be – “restful”
If ever you go to Hanoi, make time for Sapa.