Friday, September 11, 2009

What was Hindraf singing during their vigil?

By Malaysian Heart
I believe that if we take the trouble to understand our fellow humans better, we will find that they feel exactly what we feel, and that what they want for their children is exactly what we want for ours. However, we first need to get over our own prejudices and speak (and act) against the subtle (and often not so subtle) racism that our fellow Malaysians still suffer in our midst.
Those of us who have seen the video of Hindraf's candle light vigil on 5/9/09, and the subsequent arrests by our police, would have heard the vigillers singing a song as they tried to get to Dataran Merdeka. For the benefit of those of us who would like to understand what they were singing, and why, here is some info.
The title of the song is Tholvi nilayena ninaithaal, and it is from the 1986 movie Oomai Vizhigal. In the movie, politically connected thugs (who had earlier killed a journalist), destroy the printing press of a newspaper, in order to silence their investigative reporting. This song is what the editor sings to motivate his team after the attack. Here is a translation in English:

If we only dwell on on our defeated condition, how can we even hope of living?
If we consider this life a burden, isn't that trampling upon our mothers' dreams?
Having lost our rights, having lost our belongings, shall we give up our humanity too?
Being human, and still alive, how can we forget our dreams?
When dawn is about to break, why should our hearts be heavy?
When our hearts are full of courage, why should our eyes have tears?
Even if they oppose us, even if they spill our blood, can we ever change our path?
Our blood will only drive our fear away, then can our principles ever die?

Here is the song in full, as sung in the movie by P.B. Srinivas and Abavaanan:
Tholvi nilayena ninaithaal from Oomai Vizhigal
Some people find that anything which is unfamiliar to them makes them uncomfortable; hence they become intolerant towards it.
Read more at: What was Hindraf singing during their vigil?

Cow head prosecution, Double Standards by Attorney General

ReUMNO linked cow head racist and religious extremists. : 1) Double Standard Prosecution for Hindraf Lawyers and supporters as opposed to the

2) Seriousness in Attorney General’s prosecution questionable and left to be seen?

We refer to the above matter and to the prosecution yesterday of the twelve UMNO linked infamous cow head racist and religious extremist for amongst others creating racial and religious hatred and threatening violence and bloodshed to the Hindus.

Article 8 of the Malaysian Federal Constitution provides for equality before the law and equal protection for all citizens under the law.

In the case of Hindraf legal adviser P.Uthayakumar and the 231 Hindraf peaceful assemblers’ 25th November 2007 case who were arrested and/or charged for Sedition and unlawful assembly etc :-

1) the Attorney General (A.G) appeared in person at the Subordinate Sessions Court and threw the whole weight and might of the UMNO state against this politically and economically weak and tiny 8% minority. Thereafter very senior Deputy Public Prosecutors are continuing with the prosecution which is running for years causing many to lose their jobs, suffering financial constraints, families broken up etc.

2) The A.G opposed bail for the Batu Caves peaceful assemblers for the alleged baseless charge of attempted murder and the Malaysian Court actually denied them bail until an appeal was filed at the High Court and the subsequent withdrawing of the said attempted murder charged.

3) The Attorney General again personally appeared in the Subordinate courts and opposed bail for P.Uthayakumar for the Sedition charge. And the Sessions Court imposed a bail of RM50,000.00 and his passport was ordered to be impounded. Stepping out of the Court he was immediately rearrested, manhandled, detained overnight and the day after he was also detained under the Internal Security Act for 514 days.

4) But for the twelve UMNO linked cow head racial and religious extremists a different standard was applied, A bail of a mere RM4,000.00 was imposed for the Sedition charge and RM500.00 and RM300.00 bail for the unlawful assembly charge. There was no application opposing bail impounding their passports or attempted murder of the Indians charge (with their threat of bloodshed if the Hindu temple was relocated to Section 23 of Shah Alam).

All this can only happen in the UMNO Prime Minister Najib Razak’s One Malaysia

The actual serious and genuine prosecution of these UMNO linked cow head racial and religious extremists are questionable and yet to be seen.

Malaysians have not forgotten that in the March 2001 UMNO linked Kg. Medan racial attacks on the innocent and peacefully living working class Indians, 5 Indians were killed and 100 over caused grievous bodily injuries (gory photographs enclosed).

But after nine years, this worst case of human rights violations in the history of Malaysia never saw the light of the day. Neither did we see any conviction of these UMNO linked murderers and grievous bodily harm criminals because the victims were “merely Indians”. Thus the questionable administration of justice in Malaysia? Further up to this day no Inquest into the said five murdered were ever held, no Royal Commission of Inquiry was held no white paper presented in Parliament and even Suhakam refused to hold and Inquiry and the High Courts dismissed our case to compel Suhakam to hold an Inquiry.

Kindly ensure that history does not repeat itself in this cow head case.

We once again call for the removal of the Attorney General and the Inspector General of Police and to be replaced by more professional and Independent of UMNO personalities.

Thank you.

Your faithfully,

________________________

P.Uthayakumar

Secretary (pro-tem)

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