Where all the women’s groups?

“I am amazed that today is universally declared as International Women’s Day. But where are the women in Trinidad and Tobago,” he asked. “Where are the women who got Mr (Raymond) Tim Kee (former Port-of-Spain Mayor) fired because he made some comment about some skirt? Where are all the women who were marching calling for somebody’s neck because Shannon died somewhere on Charlotte Street. Where are they today?” Bakr said the mothers of the young women who died because of abusive relationships should also have been a part of International Women’s Day observances. “Where are the mothers of these children who disappear every week? Every week teenage children disappear, where are the mothers of these children? Where are the people who are supposed to mobilise for some kind of collective action against this heinous crime of abuse against women?” Yesterday’s march, which included scores of placard-bearing Muslimeen women and children, began at Woodford Square and proceeded along Frederick Street and onto Independence Square. The walk then ventured to Duke Street and back at Frederick Street before culminating at Woodford Square.

There, the Muslimeen leader lamented the absence of public officials in the march. He said many of them were “wrapped up in politics” at the expense of meaningful activism. As an example, Bakr said he invited Port-of-Spain Mayor Joel Martinez to address the children before the start of the march but he declined.

“The mayor was entertaining some people with a tea party and we asked him to come and talk to the children but he said he was too busy to come and talk to the children who have come out here to make a statement against the abuse of women. He had something more important to do,” Bakr said. Saying that he has been married for more than 46 years, Bakr claimed his children have never seen him hit his wives. Pointing to his son Fuad, who was in the march, Bakr said: “He cannot say that in his 29 years of life, he has ever seen me quarrel with his mother. Now, she is not an angel, but he has never seen that. So, he don’t know nothing about abuse to women,” Bakr said. Bakr said any society where men abuse women is a failed state. “The first thing in rebuilding that society is respect for women,” he said.

“In chapter four of the Quran, God says to Muslim men that they are the protectors of women. We have a mandate. It is an instruction from Allah to all Muslim men that they are responsible for protecting women,” he said. Bakr said the Jamaat Al Muslimeen will do all in its power to bring abusers of women to justice.

“The buck stops here! Where you are seen as a predator, we will hand you over to the police. We will find you...all abusers of women. You will pay for your atrocities against women,” he declared. Bakr said society had too many talkers. “All we do is talk, talk, talk. As one calypsonian say, ‘We fed up of the lip service’.”