Crackdown on Hindraf anti racist campaign- Photos: Lunas Forum and Arrest

Second round of arrest made at penang forum 30 minutes ago and we are yet to receive photos and videos

Today at 10:40 in Kulim Kedah, 8 key members of HRP/HINDRAF were arrested by the police while the HRP event was going on. Following are the list the of member which was arrested.
Mr. Sambulingam , HINDRAF National Coordinator and HRP President,  Age 48
Mr. C.F. Mani  – Deputy Chief, Selangor, Age 35
Mr Ramu – Kedah State Coordinator, Age 43
Mr Muniandy , Kedah Deputy State Coordinator, Age 37
Mr Jaya , Activist, Age 25
Mr Maniam, Activist, Age 57
Mr T Raja , Activist, Age 52
P.Ramesh- Perak Chief
OCP Kulim, Mr Kuslan leading the police to ARREST 7 of them and immediately  taken to IPD Kulim. The key members did not resist the arrest and was taken into the police car immediately. The crowd was very upset over the incident and were forcefully dispersed by around 150 police personnel including the RIOT POLICE. Our spokesman on the ground confirmed that the racist UMNO Polis Raja Di Malaysia used force, however our supporters stayed calm and dispersed according to the instructions. The event was interrupted 30 minutes after it began. The event was attended over 200 supporters and the general public who wanted to know the real issues of “INTERLOK”.
The event was organized by the Kedah State HRP office, it was a Forum against INTERLOK. The Organizers HAD applied for the permit but it was REJECTED. THIS REJECTION WAS CLEAR VIOLATION OF THE MALAYSIAN CONSTITUTION – “RIGHTS TO ASSEMBLY”
The event was organized in “Taman Sawi “ also know as “Kartu Raja” in Paya Besar , Lunas.
At present we do not have other details and will update this post at periodical intervals of  30 minutes
S. Jayathas

Regards.

S.JAYATHAS
HINDRAF ( National Information Coordinater)
www.hindraf.org
Human Rights Party (HRP) National Information Chief
www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com
Contact No: 012 636 2287

Flash News 8:30pm : Police is not allowing 100 activist into IPD Jawi Police Station to lodge a Police Report Against UNMO Racism

Despite HRP / HINDRAF support gather outside the police IPD Jawi ,Penang,  shouting UNMO racist and Malay-sia Police Racist. All 8 leader and activists  have been taken by the police black maria and have currently been LOCKUP at the IPD Jawi Police Station.

Coming: Interlok's ideal antidote

Come August, barring the unexpected, Malaysian readers will be able to access the ideal antidote to the controversial literary text, Interlok, which is said to be disparaging of Indian Malaysians.

A book, 'A History of Indians in Malaysia: From the Melaka Sultanate to Hindraf,' is set to be published in that month. It will tell the story of Indian Malaysians' contribution to the development of the country.

The author, Carl Vadivella Belle, is what academics would call an 'Indologist,' in the same vein scholars of Chinese studies are termed 'Sinologists.' He is in the final stages of completing the manuscript for publication.

Vadivella Belle, aged 62, became enamored of things Malaysian when he was the Attache (Development Assistance) at the Australian High Commission here in 1976-79.

Fascination with the annual Thaipusam festival led this former Lutheran to become a Hindu in 1981.

A doctoral dissertation, 'Thaipusam in Malaysia: A Hindu Festival Misunderstood,' obtained for him a Phd from Deakin University, Melbourne, 2004.

This was followed by a paper, 'The Development of Indian Political Consciousness in Malaya: Colonialism, Nationalism and Subhas Chandra Bose' that he submitted in 2009 to the Centre for Indian Diaspora Studies at the University of Hyderabad.

After that it was a logical progression for Vadivella to attempt the book he hopes would place the contributions of Indian Malaysians to national development in proper perspective.

“I think this contribution has not been accorded the recognition that is properly its due,” he told Malaysiakini in an interview at the tail end of his month-long stay in country that took in the Thaipusam celebration in Batu Caves last month and ended with the Masi Magham festival in Malacca earlier this week.

He said two earlier forays on the subject, one by Kernial Singh Sandu in 1969 ('Indian Migrations to Malaya') and the other by Sinappah Arasaratnam ('Indians in Malaysia'), were seminal works at the time of their publication, but both left out what Vadivella claimed were factors critical to the whole story: Imperial Britain's theories on race and religion that impacted adversely on Indian migrant labor in Malaya.

Vadivella said his book would examine those theories and how they affected the plight of the Indians who were brought to Malay to work in plantation agriculture, road and railway construction, and the development of ports.

“The laying of the transport infrastructure in the peninsula was in large part the work of Indians,” he asserted.

“The perception that the life of the Tamil indentured laborer in Malaya was better than what he experienced in his place of origin has to be put against such facts as the 18 per cent mortality rate from malaria, snakebite and malnutrition suffered by them in many parts of the peninsula,” he elaborated.

Vadivella said between the setting up of the Straits Settlements in 1826 and Merdeka in 1957, 4.2 million Indians had come to Malaya.
Of this number, he said 2.8 million returned to their ancestral land by the time of Independence. He said by 1957, 700,000 Indians in Malaya were local-born.

Vadivella obtained research grants for the book from the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) in Singapore, which is headed by by Klang-born M. Kesavapany, a former High Commissioner of Singapore to Malaysia.

The book is scheduled to be launched in August in Singapore. This will be followed by a launch in Kuala Lumpur.

Vadivella has done research for the book among archives in Malaysia, Singapore, India and England.

The writing is done at his 20-acre farm on which he and wife Wendy live in the rural small town of Millicent, which is about 400 kilometers from Melbourne.

“The mornings I devote to my writing and the afternoons to manual labor on the farm,” said Vadivella, of a pattern that is an apparent reversal of that of the people who are the subject of his book, who rose early for their daily labor and retired in the late afternoon.

Of course, the disjunction is of no import to a man who third child, a son, Carl Jr, was born in Kuala Lumpur and spoke Tamil to the housemaid, Jayaletchumy, before learning to speak in English to his parents.

“Malaysia is a fascinating in its complexity,” said Vadivella, with evident affection for the three years he spent here.

“It's sad to see so much that's fascinating about it marred by the racial prisms through which it is viewed,” he opined.

‘Register us or face suit’

Human Rights Party has given the government two weeks to recognise it as a political party or face a court action.

IPOH: The Human Rights Party (HRP) Malaysia has served a legal notice on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Home Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein to demand that HRP be registered as a political party within two weeks.

If they do not meet the deadline, HRP will file a suit against the government.

HRP lawyers have served the notice on Friday. HRP is following in the footsteps of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) by taking the Barisan Nasional (BN) government to court for not approving the party’s registration.

HRP will seek an order of mandamus at the Kuala Lumpur High Court to compel the authorities to, among others, register HRP as a political party like Kita and Malaysian Makkal Sakthi Party(MMSP).

A copy of the party’s legal notice of demand was made available to FMT.

PSM took BN to court for not registering the party for 10 years and subsequently won recognition from Registrar of Societies (ROS) on Aug 19, 2008.

Now HRP, which is the political voice of the NGO Hindraf movement, claims that ROS has denied this Indian-based multi-racial political party the right to register for the past 12 years.

Tracing the history of the party, HRP pro tem secretary-general P Uthayakumar said the party was known as PRIM (Parti Reformasi Insan Malaysia) when he joined it in 2000 after leaving Parti Keadilan National (PKN), which is now renamed Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) .

On June 18, 2009, Uthayakumar re-submitted HRP’s formal application for registration under the name of Human Rights Party after he failed to register PRIM. He was then also PRIM secretary-general.

Biased attitude

On Nov 25, 2010, the party submitted the full set of registeration forms to the ROS. But further follow-ups proved fruitless.

According to Uthayakumar, the BN government’s continued refusal to recognise HRP as a political party directly contravened both Article 8 of the Federal Constitution (equality before the law) and Article 10 (freedom of association).

He questioned the biased attitude of the government in denying HRP the right to be legally registered whereas it allowed quick registration for other newly-formed parties.

For example, he said Kita was registered within one month while MMSP was approved within two weeks of its application in July 2009.

Uthayakumar also accused the government of allowing MMSP to steal and hijack Hindraf’s powerful “Makkal Sakthi” battle cry.

HRP will face an uphill battle to get itself registered given that the political climate has changed drastically.

However, the do-or-die party believes that no one is above the law and hence is prepared to go to court to get justice done.

The party intends to contest in 15 parliamentary and 38 state seats in the 13th general election.

Even if the registration is not approved in time, HRP is ready to swing into action by using independent election logos.

HRP leaders arrested at anti-Interlok forum

Seven leaders and activists of the Human Rights Party (HRP) were arrested earlier today during a forum held by the Indian-based group's on the controversial 'Interlok' novel in Kulim, Kedah.

According to HRP pro-tem secretary-general P Uthayakumar, the seven include HRP president W Sambulingam, Kedah HRP deputy-chief P Muniandy.

Among the others were Kedah HRP coordinator R Ramu, Selangor HRP deputy chief MS Maniam, and activists S Dass, D Raja and CF Mani.

Uthayakumar said the party also expects arrests to be made at a similar forum to be held this afternoon in Farlim, Penang.

The police, Uthayakumar added, have put up notices of arrest against those attending the forum.

According to HRP information chief S Jayathas, all seven activists who were arrested in Kulim were taken to the Kulim district police station.

The police, said Jayathas in a posting on the group's website, had said the forum was illegally held after its application for a permit was rejected.

The forum is part of HRP's nationwide campaign that will culminate on Feb 27 in a march against racism and the Interlok novel.

Interlok, written by national laureate Abdullah Hussain, has been accused of perpetuating racial stereotypes.

T-shirts confiscated, again

When contacted, Uthayakumar said the police at the Kulim police station were attempting to repeat the efforts made last week to confiscate the orange-coloured T-shirts worn by the HRP activists as a condition for their release.

"They say that if the HRP activists do not surrender their shirts, they will be locked up for seven days," said Uthayakumar.

"But to us, we will not surrender the shirts. They have become (like) sacred to us," he added.

Uthayakumar, who is also legal advisor to Hindraf, noted that thousands of PAS Youth members gathered in Kota Sarang Semut in Kedah without being disturbed by the police.

These activists nor the members of other NGOs and parties ordered to surrender their 'kopiah' or shirts, he added.

Perak chief P Ramesh arrested

Meanwhile, the group has also reported at 2.45pm that their gathering at Farlin, Penang was also scuttled.

The Penang CPO reportedly dispersed the forum "forcibly" leaving the scene "like a war zone with the Indian poor scattered all around on the one hand, and the over 100 police having cordoned off the Farlin Hall".

They also expect police raids and arrests at their 6.30pm forum at Simpang Ampat Sri Meenachiamman Temple, Prai.

Following that, it is reported that Perak HRP chief P Ramesh is arrested - for the second time this week - this time outside Kulim IPD.

100 Hindraf supporters led by Perak and Penang HRP chiefs peacefully protest outside the station with placards (above), demanding the release of the seven arrested earlier.

100 traffic and riot police, special branch and police officers cordon off the station.

Crackdown on Hindraf continues

Police crack their whips again, coming down hard on Hindraf leaders and activists at an anti-Interlok forum.

UPDATED

LUNAS: The police’s clampdown on Hindraf Makkal Sakti’s anti-Interlok campaign continues with the arrest of eight leaders and activists at an anti-Interlok forum here in Kedah this morning.
However, all eight have been released at 5.30pm, some six hours later.
The eight were Human Rights Party (HRP) Malaysia president W Sambulingam, 48, Kedah Hindraf chief R Ramu, 43, deputy chief P Muniandy, 37, CF Mani, 35, S Kuberadasan, 25, S Maniam, 57, T Raja, 52, and Perak Hindraf chief P Ramesh, 45.
They were detained when police stormed and disrupted the forum at the Kattu Raja hall in Paya Besar at 11.30am here.
All have been released on police bail. They will have to report at the Kulim police headquarters on March 19.
HRP secretary-general P Uthayakumar said that police have denied Hindraf permits to hold the anti-Interlok forum at Paya Besar and Air Itam and Simpang Ampat, Penang.
He said that police also prevented Hindraf activists and other Hindus from entering a temple in Kampar, Perak, to attend a similar forum last night.
He said the police clearly showed they would violate all human rights, including freedom of religion and assembly, enshrined under the Federal Constitution.
“They would violate all principles of human rights to halt our anti-Interlok peaceful march planned for Feb 27 in Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC).
“The police clampdown is a replay of the historic Nov 25 mammoth gathering at KLCC three years ago.
‘Handcuffed, chained, locked up’
“Its déjà vu 2007,” said Uthayakumar.
Meanwhile, Hindraf adviser N Ganesan claimed that his detained colleagues were “handcuffed, chained and locked up” at the Kulim district police headquarters.
He said Sambulingam was addressing some 100 people at the Kattu Raja hall at 11.30am when a group of police officers entered and told the Hindraf leader to stop speaking.
Police gave Sambulingam and the others about 10 minutes to disperse. The activists were arrested when they defied the order.
HRP secretary-general P Uthayakumar told FMT that police have threatened to detain the Hindraf activists for seven days and asked them to hand over their saffron-coloured shirts.
“However, they did not give their shirts. They told the police that our saffron shirt is sacred,” he said.
Meanwhile, at another forum at a community hall at Bandar Baru Air Itam on the island, the police did not barge into the community hall or arrest any Hindraf leaders and activists.
But they managed to stop the forum within minutes of its commencement.
Massive barricade
Earlier, Ganesan got the ball rolling by addressing a few people who defied the police order to attend the forum.
While he was speaking, a group of policemen led by a commander known only as ASP Jamaluddin entered the hall and stopped Ganesan from speaking.
They gave Ganesan and others 10 minutes to disperse to avoid arrest. Ganesan and the rest obeyed and ended the forum.
They then left, but not without loud chants of “Hindraf, Hindraf, Hindraf”.
Using a loud hailer, Jamaluddin also ordered all journalists and cameramen to leave the area immediately.
Earlier, the police formed a massive barricade to prevent anyone from entering the hall. They have also put up blockades and booths along roads leading to the hall. A police notice was pasted outside the hall warning the people not to attend the forum.
The notice stated that the forum was illegal since it was being held without a valid police permit. Police warned they would detain anyone who showed up.
About two hours before the forum started, some police officers have also allegedly intimidated HRP/Hindraf activists to get them to cancel their plans.
When the activists showed their defiance, police began to build up their presence. Residents claimed at least 100 police personnel gathered in the area within an hour.
Another forum is scheduled at 6pm at the Meenakshi Aman Kovil in Simpang Ampat, Seberang Perai.
Political rally
Ganesan said that a police permit was not needed for an indoor forum for the people.
“We are not having a political rally. We duly paid the hall rental and the building management allowed us to organise the forum without any qualms.
“But we have been told not hold the forum and leave the area,” he said.
“Under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution, Malaysian citizens have every right to assemble,” he added.
Ganesan was puzzled why the authorities strongly opposed the anti-Interlok campaign.
“We are actually helping the Umno government to eliminate racism in the country.
“I don’t understand why the government and police are not assisting us,” he told FMT.
Earlier, in his address, Ganesan told the attendees that Interlok had projected the Indians in an undignified and distorted manner.
He said that the novel was reinforcing the stereotyped portrayal of Indians in the country as “dark, oily and scraggy community of low life”.
“Interlok must not be seen as an isolated case. It’s part of Umno government’s racist agenda to demean and degrade the Indian poor.
“The racist perpetrators want to ensure that the Indian poor will forever remain oppressed, suppressed and subservient to the Umno regime,” said Ganesan.
He also attributed the low turnout to the heavy police presence since morning.
“It’s a serious violation of human rights. Why must the police stop us from speaking to a small crowd in a peaceful manner?
“It’s a high-handed tactics of Umno regime to instil fear into us and the Indian poor.”

HRP President & Hindraf Coordinator W.Sambulingam & Kedah Chief R.Ramu arrested on End UMNO racism forum@ Lunas,Kedah

Latest News Flash: More than 40 policemen surround Farlin Hall! Police to arrest HINDRAF/HRP at Penang Forum at 2pm on OCPD’s orders.

In Penang at the Dewan Serbaguna Farlin where our forum is scheduled at 2pm, the police started their frolic. The police came this morning under a mandore Isp.Ravindra and stuck notices around the building that the police permit has been denied for the forum and anyone who attends it action will be taken on them. This is on a unsigned piace of A4 paper and not on police letterhead.

This is totally in violation in the guarantees provided under Article 10 – Freedom of Assembly. Why are they disallowing this small gathering when there was a large gathering in Kedah of 30,000 people? Is this because Indians are soft target that the UMNO led government continue to bully us?

Let it be known that we will continue with the forum because its within our Constitutional Rights. Any further action the police take will be absolutely violation of our rights. 12 noon Farlin.

Naragan