At about 9 a.m 18 Hindraf hunger strikers and about 100 hindraf supporters had gathered at KLCC, from 9.00 a.m onwards. At 1.30p.m seven year old Vaishnavi, the only daughter of Hindraf Chairman P.Waytha Moorthy arrived together with her mother Nageswari Hindraf lawyers P.Uthayakumar and Manoharan Malayalam and gave away roses to the 18 Hindraf hunger strikes and supporters to signify UMNO’s unfulfilled Hindraf 18 point demands dated 12/8/07 There was a large presence of the local and international media and also the police force.
P.Uthayakumar in his brief address recalled that one person had died, about 300 arrested, and thousands of others were attacked with chemical laced water cannons, tear gas fired at them and beaten up or injured.“Today we remember and recognize all their sacrifices he said.
P.Uthayakumar also paid tribute to all the thousands of Hindraf supporters who held nationwide prayers and campaigns for the release of the Hindraf lawyers from 514 days of ISA detention. P.Uthayakumar said he has no regrets and took his detention as a part of the struggle as in every people power struggle, a sacrifices have to be made. P. Uthayakumar said the struggle for Hindraf’s 18 point demands and to put the Malaysian Indians into the national mainstream development of Malaysia after having excluded them for 52 years would continue.
Lawyer Manoharan Malayalam said that it brought him memories of the 25th day of November 2007 when he drove here today. Manoharan asked the government of Malaysia to stop all the discrimination against the Malaysian Indians.
The hindraf motivational song Tholvi Nelaiyena ninai thal was sung. After three shouts of Hindraf, Makkal Sakthi and Manitha Urimai (human rights) the Hindraf supporters dispersed peacefully.
P. Uthayakumar had occasion to say that “this was what exactly we had intended to do even on the 25th day of November 2007 but was brutally attacked, arrested and tortured by UMNOs’ Malay-sian police force and the Hindraf lawyers detained without trial for 514 days under the ISA.
S. Jayathas
Information Chief, HRP
