Our view on the Bar Council (and the Malaysian Bar)

M Manoharan, P Uthayakumar, R Kenghadharan and V Ganabatirau, - have they been forgotten? - 2008/01/05 21:07 M Manoharan, P Uthayakumar, R Kenghadharan and V Ganabatirau are lawyers and are of 4 of 5 Human Rights Defenders that have been arrested and detained under the ISA and I am most disappointed because all that I have seen the Bar Council (and the Malaysian Bar) do is issue ONE press statement - and even in that statement, the names of those arrested were not even mentioned.

Since then, we ho have an on-going "No Detention Without Trial Campaign" seems to have been not doing anything in the form of a campaign to immediately and unconditionally secure their release.

The Malaysian Bar has allowed itself to be distracted by other matters --- and this is SCARY --- and it surely does not install much confidence in other lawyers who have stood up and may stand up for the cause of justice without fear and favour.

Do tell us also about the steps taken to assist these lawyers as far as their practice is concerned? Do tell us also about the steps taken to assist their family and dependents?

I expected a FULL-BLOWN campaign initiated and led by the Malaysian Bar to secure the release of not just these 5 but also the others who still continue to be detained under laws that allow for detention without trial.

I know that elections are over - but that do not mean that our leaders of the Bar are permitted time-off to rest, relax - celebrate Hari Raya, Christmas and New Year as our fellow brethren in law languish in Kamunting.

I know that our chairman of the Human Rights committee was also recently arrested and charged in court - but that is no excuse for procrastination in action demonstrated thus far...I wanted to call for the immediate resignation of Edmund Bon - but let us give him and his committee a chance to prove me wrong in my criticisms.

Some of us may not have liked Uthayakumar and his methods - but that does not excuse us for our lack of real action.

THIS must be the priority of the Malaysian Bar - let us wear arm-bands, badges, etc... in protest. Let us do a signature campaign. Let our President and the Vice President go on an hunger strike --- let us do something serious here to get those detained under these NDWT laws released immediately...

Ambiga, Ragu, State Bar Chairs, ....let us BEGIN..

In solidarity,

Charles Hector

In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place-Mahtma

Singapore artist protesting Indian detentions in Malaysia ends hunger strike

SINGAPORE -- A Singaporean artist calling for the release of five ethnic Indian activists detained in neighboring Malaysia ended his five-day hunger strike Saturday.

Seelan Palay, 23, had been camped outside the city-state's Malaysian High Commission since Monday, consuming nothing but water. Seelan, an ethnic Indian, was protesting the arrest and detention of leaders from the Hindu Rights Action Force who led a massive rally Nov. 25 in Kuala Lumpur to highlight what the group says is racial discrimination faced by ethnic Indians.

The group's leaders were arrested in December under Malaysia's Internal Security Act, which allows indefinite detention without trial.

On Saturday, a crowd of supporters gathered around Seelan and presented him with a garland that he wore around his neck over a placard that read, "Give them fair trial."

"What I have done is only what I can do as an individual; if we had a hundred, we could make a difference," Seelan said. "One day, we will all achieve freedom."

Seelan said he hoped his hunger strike would draw attention to the detentions.

"I hope that the international community, regardless of race and religion, to look into this issue and pressure the Malaysian government to release the Hindraf five," he said.

Two men hoisted Seelan up and pumped their fists in the air as Seelan completed his protest.

"We are so proud that there is at least one Indian in Singapore supporting our cause," said Mayil Sapapathy, 36, an ethnic Indian from Malaysia who works in Singapore. "Indians like us don't get the same privileges in Malaysia like the ethnic Malays do."

Ethnic Indians form about 8 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people, and complain that the government denies them opportunities in jobs, education and business. They say that years of systematic repression have kept them at the bottom of society. The government denies this.

Officials could not be reached Saturday at the Malaysian High Commission, which was closed, while Singapore police said they had no comment on Seelan's protest.

Protests are rare in Singapore, where police permits are required for outdoor gatherings of more than four people.

Copyright © 2008 The China Post.
All rights reserved.
Please refer to the TERMS AND CONDITIONS of use

On behalf of HINDRAF and the entire Malaysian Indian community I thank and salute Seelan for his brave and sincere attempt to highlight the evil of ISA and seek the release of HINDRAF leaders.

Waytha Moorthy
chairman
HINDRAF

"He alone lives who live for others, the rest are more dead than alive" Swami Vivekananda

Mr.Waytha : HINDRAF TO CONTINUE STRUGGLE.

Today there was an article published in the Malaysian newspapers relating Hindraf. The statement the article refers to by Mr Waytha was unfortunately manipulated by the journalists giving out irrelevant and misleading information contrary to what Mr Waytha had actually said.

This is the latest statement released by Mr Waytha himself
Please spread the news to all of our fellows friends

MEDIA STATEMENT BY HINDRAF

RE: HINDRAF’S PEACEFUL STRUGGLE FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE MINORITY INDIANS WILL CONTINUE TO THE END

HINDRAF WILL NOT GIVE UP EVEN IF WE ARE FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE .

MY STATEMENT TO AP TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT

On the 30th December 2007 I was interviewed by a journalist from the AP who had spent about 1 ½ hours interviewing me. I am equally disappointed that a small portion of the interview had been blown out of proportion to mean I am giving up the struggle of Hindraf or that the struggle is likely to die soon.

I wish to clarify the following:

a) I will continue to lead HINDRAF even if I’m on the move throughout the world.
b) HINDRAF’s struggle will not die “soon” as I have many plans lined up and will reveal to the Malaysian Indians in stages and with the support of PEOPLE POWER which we are witnessing now we will together continue to advocate and assert the rights of the Minority Indian community.
c) I will do all possible within my means to lobby support from the British Government Parliamentarians and Human Rights Organizations and these include our demand that the 5 Leaders of Hindraf be released unconditionally and the Minority Indian Rights which has been neglected over the last 50 years be protected. Thereafter I plan to continue the lobby to Europe, United Nations in Geneva , America , Canada , Australia and New Zealand .
d) HINDRAF would also be organizing various peaceful protests throughout the country to highlight the plight of the 70% poor underclass Malaysian Indian society and for the release of the 5 Leaders of which I would announce the first plan on Monday 7^th January 2008.
e) In the interview I was questioned what if after years (5-10years) of campaigning and lobbying the Government still doesn’t budge?

My answer was even if we are fighting a losing battle we will continue with the battle because not all battles are meant to be won. Great warriors do not worry about dying in the battlefield. If we are meant to loose we will loose so that someone else who take up the cause after us will win the war. If we loose after years of campaigning so be it we will call it a day. No one organization (including HINDRAF) can ever claim we are here forever and will continue forever. Nothing is permanent in this world and it also applies to HINDRAF.

PEOPLE POWER can continue with the struggle but the ultimate power lies in the Government. In Malaysia Indians are minority and the reality is we can’t form a Government to change the situation. So the responsibility lies in this Government to make the necessary changes in the interest of the minority Indian community.

f) In the said interview I repeated my statement which was given to the AFP about 2 years ago when I commented on the issue of temple demolition. I had then said that (on the issue of temple demolition) eventually we too would fail the community but I fear the outcome after that. “At the moment devotees are crying and begging but eventually they would not plead and cry any more”.

My fear which I had highlighted about 2 years ago came true when we all saw what happened at Padang Jawa Temple demolition. Devotees who were for the first time protecting the temple with their bare hands and yet the authorities had violently attacked them and though devotees were injured in the attempt they were arrested and charged with criminal offences.

I again wish to reiterate my fear. The Government has successfully locked up voices of peaceful struggle for democratic rights and dissent. People have no one they can trust to lead them as they are all locked up. All their hundreds of appeals, memorandums and letters to the Prime Minister written on their behalf by these leaders have gone to waste bins. What can you expect them to do next? These are poor people who are not educated to articulate their grievances in a refined manner. In these circumstances I honestly feel our “chapter” (HINDRAF’S peaceful struggle) has been forcibly closed by the Government and so they must expect a new chapter to be opened but we are not part of that chapter. If a new undesirable chapter is opened in the history of Malaysia then we hold the Government solely responsible for they have killed legitimate voices of dissent and peaceful democratic struggle by HINDRAF.

g) I was also quoted to have said the following, “…..if they can give us real concessions we are willing to keep our mouth shut I don’t look at myself as a sacrifier”.

1 ½ years ago I was interviewed by members of the Police Special Branch who had wanted to know my intentions of leading HINDRAF and my activities. Everyone would know that at that time HINDRAF was practically dealing on issues of Religious conversions (Article 121 1(A)) and Temple demolitions. Yes I did tell the Special Branch then that if the Government resolves at least the temple demolition issue and permanently gazettes all temples existing prior to independence I will “keep my mouth shut” and leave the public scene.

h) I will never regret for initiating HINDRAF and leading it to its current struggle. The Malaysian Indians have been cheated by the UMNO led Government over the last 50 years using “coalition” Indian political parties to pacify the Indian community whenever they complain their rights are trampled upon. The UMNO Government’s “divide and rule” policy seemed to have succeeded but not any longer. The Indian community can no longer be cheated

But my heart goes to the 5 HINDRAF leaders who have been made scapegoats by the Government. The irony is even our legal advisers namely Mr.R.Kengadharan and Mr. M. Manoharan who were purely acting for HINDRAF as legal advisers were not spared. They were both vigorously and couragesly defending us when various sedition and criminal charges were levelled against us. Their incarceration in particular are not acceptable for it goes against all tenets of basic Human Rights to detain lawyers who defend their clients. It proves the Government is vindictive and malicious and had intended to warn would be advocates of HINDRAF to “stay away” from representing us.

P.Waytha Moorthy

Hounslow

Middlesex

HINDRAF Leader, P.Waythamoorthy Meets Malaysian Indians in London

HINDRAF leader P Waythamoorthy met Malaysian Indians at Manor Park, London today to explain their stand. The meeting was attended by more than 50 Malaysian Indians residing in the United Kingdom.

It was revealed that a leaflet protest would be distributed to everyone at Trafalgar Square sometime this coming week to create an awareness that Malaysian Indians have been marginalised in Malaysia after more than 50 years of Independence. It is hoped that the Malaysian government will immediately look into the plights of the Indian community and give whatever assistance to uplift their deplorable state currently faced by this community.

Malaysian Indians are now more united in this battle for fairness and if the ruling Barisan Nasional were to ignore their claims, the Barisan Nasional will lose the coming polls expected sometime next year since the Indian votes are crucial for the coalition party

Singapore activist fasting outside Malaysian High Commission in Singapore

Seelan Palay, the Singapore activist continued his fasting outside Malaysian High Commission in the evening of New Year Eve.To see the video clip,please click on this link http://raajarox.com/?p=222 .