Silent' marchers speak out loudly against child abuse (+ photos)
12:18PM Saturday August 25, 2007
A so-called 'silent march' down Auckland's Queen Street was anything but as protested raised their voices against child abuse. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey
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An angry Christine Rankin slammed Children's Commissioner Cindy Kiro as a "waste of space" as she addressed the loudest 'silent march' against child abuse yet.
A raucous crowd of around 300 people marched down Auckland's Queen Street from 10am this morning sounding air horns and chanting at the second march protesting the country's damning child abuse record.
The march was the second in a series of "silent voices" marches to draw attention to the rising level of child abuse and call for more social responsibility and government accountability.
Placards carried mesages like 'It takes a community to raise kids' and 'We can make a difference, we do have a choice, stop child abuse'.
One young girl carried a sign that read 'Hug me, don't beat me'.
A series of marches were triggered by the death of 3-year-old Nia Glassie, who died after weeks of alleged abuse. The toddler had been put into a clothes dryer and the dryer turned on, and had been hung by her ankle from a clothes lines and spun around.
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She died in Auckland's Starship Hospital as a result of her injuries and was buried in Tokoroa two weeks ago.
Glassie is just one in a number of shocking cases of child abuse in the country's recent history.
Tongan father of three Manase Lua handed a note to a Herald photographer, with a heartfelt call to Polynesian men to put love over pride and to stop the cycle of abuse.
"Our culture, or any culture for that matter, without real love will be doomed to repeat the wrongs of the past," he wrote.
"What we need to do if we are real men is to show real love."
"Words cannot describe the kind of pain this poor wretched soul must have endured at the hands of these pathetic little cowards who thought if fit to violently abuse a three-year-old child in such a barbarous and callous way."
"Nia please forgive me," the note finished, "You sleep peacefully now. Journey far away from this loveless world for I have failed you, we have all failed you. Although what I wish for you is too late, know this, I love you".
March organisers said New Zealanders did little about child abuse, and hoped someone else would deal with the problem. They said it was time for action.
Marches are also planned for Invercargill, Wellington and Hamilton in coming months.
- NZPA / NZ HERALD STAFF
