Fear Haunts Community - Note

The verbal and online persecution of  students has extended to the wider community and those who support them.

Members and founders of the group have become the victims on social media, where they have been subject to attack.

The issue has affected her and her colleagues both socially and psychologically. All of our members have been summoned home and interrogated by their parents.

She, her friends, and her colleagues have received threats in many forms, some by SMS, email, and also from messages on social media. 

One of the members parents was called by their boss and asked whether their child was a part of the community or not. The issue poses a serious threat to the parent’s job.

Another co-founder was disowned by his family after conservative daily Republika published online reports on the group’s activities and membership. Republika followed up with a front-page headline in its print edition stating: 'It Poses Serious Threat.

The poster for the service featured three people who testified about the benefit of counseling for people.

The four have since experienced harassment, mostly from strangers, but also from relatives. However, they have also received a lot of support from family, friends, and lecturers.

He looked at the silver lining of the situation. My family and most of my friends have known about me being idealistic; the issue doesn't really affect me. On the contrary, I have got support from lecturers, friends, and family.

He will have his graduation ceremony next month. UI has even invited him to represent his faculty in receiving his diploma. This proves that people around me are very supportive.

He and another counselor were featured on the poster. 

I feel happy that the cause has become public and a national issue. The collective pro-movement actually makes me stronger.

The other two however, have somewhat less positive experiences than him. 

His mother got a visit from the neighborhood head, and now she has been crying for two days, locking herself in the bedroom  and  depressed. 

He respected individuals' right to choose and did not intend to eliminate discussion of the issues on campus.

In order to increase students' awareness of  the importance of the nation's safety, he called on campus officials to intensively embrace students through mentoring programs.

Critics have described his statements as uneducated and not befitting his position as higher education minister.