Thursday, August 12, 2010

'Racism in learning', Hindraf wants India's help

By G Vinod - Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: The Hindu Rights Action Force, now known as Hindraf Makkal Sakthi, wants the Indian government to provide an educational lifeline for Malaysian Indian students.

Hindraf, which has constantly accused the Umno-led government of racism, believes that deserving Indian students here are being left in the lurch because of a discriminatory policy.

The movement, which was banned by the government, wants the Indian government to provide them with scholarships instead.

In view of this, Hindraf will submit a memorandum to the Indian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur regarding the matter.

“We want the Indian government to know that our children are denied Public Service Department scholarships and matriculation courses due to a race-based policy,” its national information coordinator S Jayathas told FMT.

“We want Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to provide full scholarships to bright Malaysian Indian children and provide places for them to study in India,” he added.

Jayathas said the memorandum will be submitted on Sunday, in conjuction with India's independence day, and the commission has been notified of this.

The gathering would take place at 2pm and more than 100 people are expected to attend.

Last Sunday, Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar accused Umno of perpetuating genocide on the Indian community here.

In a hard hitting speech at the movement's national convention, he claimed that the Malay party was attempting to destroy the community's herigate.

“They destroy our temples, cemeteries and schools. They deny scholarships for our children. If this is not ethnic cleansing, what else am I to call it?” he asked.

In November 2007, Uthayakumar and four others led a mammoth protest in Kuala Lumpur, which saw tens of thousands of Malaysian Indians taking to the streets.

The Hindraf rally was credited as being the political awakening of the community, which paved the way for the Indians to vote for the opposition in the 2008 general election.

Shortly after the protest, the five Hindraf leaders were detained under the Internal Security Act and were released in 2009.
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“Ethnic cleansing” of Dinding Indian Association land

For 80 years, the Dindings Indian Association in Sitiawan, Perak, has been the steward of a two-hectare plot of land originally purchased with the contributions of rubber tappers.
Last week, the federal government issued notice that it will acquire the land to build a school – the formal hearing of acquisition is to be held on Aug 25 at the Manjung Land Office.
The Perak DAP has now pitched in with an accusation that there is an ulterior motive behind the move.
State deputy chiNONEef M Kulasegaran said the site, located in the heart of town, is worth at least RM20 million now, and that it is the pride of the Indian Malaysian community which makes up 15 percent of the local population.
“Is it true as speculated that part of the prime land will be given to cronies of the people in power for commercial development?” he asked.
He said the plot was bought “with the blood, sweat and tears of the first generation of Indian settlers” who had cleared the jungle for rubber planting.
“Indian rubber-tappers from the 35 estates in Sitiawan had contributed two Straits Settlement dollars each per month for 18 months to purchase this piece of land,” he said.
“The idea of purchasing the land at the time was to build a school for the children of rubber tappers to study English in the afternoon, after attending Tamil school in the morning.”
Part of the site is now occupied the SK Simpang Empat (formerly the Simpang Empat English School), the school field and the VR Menon science laboratory built in 1964.
“There is no logical reason or justification for the government to acquire this piece of land. We are adamant that it should at all times remain in the hands of the Indian community,” Kulasegaran said.
He said that a large number of people will gather at the Manjung Land Office on Aug 25 to object to the proposal.
Questions that arise

Kulasegaran, who is also Ipoh Barat MP, called on the Perak and federal governments to organise a roundtable conference to discuss the proposed acquisition and arrive at a win-win solution.
It is understood that both governments had carried out a feasability study a year ago, in preparation to acquire the site.
KulasS Veerasingamegaran said the Perak government’s Indian Affairs adviser S Veerasingam (left) had reportedly said that “a settlement will be reached” after discussion with Mentri Besar Zamry Abd Kadir, who is currently abroad.
He demanded answers from Veerasingam on these questions:
1. Was he aware of the feasibility study? Was the Perak government consulted before the decision on acquisition was made?
2. Why was there no prior consultation with the local Indian community?
3. Why did he say a settlement would be reached after the notice of acquisition was issued?
4. What are the details of the settlement formula?
Kulasegaran, who was born in Sitiawan, said the Indian community is angered because the move is “most insensitive, unfair and unjustifiable”.
The community also cannot understand the need for this plot when there is vacant land in many other areas where a new school can be built, he added.
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Children denied father’s name on birth certificates. UMNO’s religious extremism against Banggarama’s family.

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(See newsreport in newKerala.com dated 25/11/10. See below Birth Certificate of banggarama born to Hindu parents.)

In the birth certificates of her son Kanaraj and daughter Hisyanthini the racist and religious extremist and supremacist UMNO civil servants even have refused to record the name of the children’s natural father Sockalingam a/l Suppiah as the father in the father’s column see father’s and his children’s Birth Certificates below. But in the children’s Birth Certificates practicing Hindu Banggaramma’s name has now been changed to a muslim name which she never knew about.

This is the simplest case of the big bully UMNO bullying this and thousands of other such poor and politically powerless Indian Hindus.

By this UMNO bullying, the Article 11 of the Federal Constitution which guarantees freedom of religion is meaningless and non-existent. UMNO is causing day to day mysery to thousands of these poor Indian Hindus’ lives.

Many families are even contemplating suicide because of the inequitable and blatantly dissertating the Federal Constitution by this 53 year old UMNO regime.

UMNO will not change. We have to change UMNO in the 2012/2013 general elections.

P. Uthayakumar

banggarama 1banggarama 2banggarama 3banggarama 4banggrama 5
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Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Bukit Jalil estate: MIC Deputy Minister Mandore kosong wayang kulit after Hindraf & HRP stopped the ethnic cleansing.

kapten bala
(See MN 7/8/10 at page 10 and TN 7/8/10 at page 12)

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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

US-based HAF calls Banggarma verdict 'religiously discriminatory'

KUALA LUMPUR: US-based The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) has condemned the Penang High Court decision to deny 28 year old Siti Hasnah Banggarma the right to change her religion back to Hinduism.



After a long, drawn out court battle, Banggarma was left with little hope as Justice Mohammed Yacoob Sam referred the case contesting her conversion to the Syariah Court.



Banggarma, born a Hindu, claimed that state authorities forcibly converted her to Islam at the age of seven while she was under the care of a government-run orphanage.

She later married a Hindu in a traditional Hindu ceremony, but could not officially register her marriage nor could she list her Hindu husband as the father of their children on birth certificates.

Malaysian law requires any non-Muslim marrying a Muslim to convert to Islam before a marriage is legally recognized.

“The right to religious freedom has continued to erode in Malaysia, and minorities continue to suffer,” said Professor Ramesh Rao, HAF’s Human Rights Coordinator.

“This case, which was covered in HAF’s 2009 human rights report, is yet another of example of officially sanctioned religious discrimination and coercion."

Although Malaysia is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country, minorities, particularly ethnic Indians and Hindus, have continued to face serious discrimination over the years.

HAF’s annual Hindu human rights report, 'Hindus in South Asia and the Diaspora: A Survey of Human Rights 2009', documented the discrimination, intimidation and persecution faced by Malaysia’s minority Hindu population.

The Foundation has also supported the work of Hindraf, a human rights organization that monitors, documents and publicly highlights human rights abuses faced by the country’s minority Hindu population.

“We hope that Banggarma will eventually be permitted to return to the faith of her birth,” added Rao.

“HAF will continue to monitor this case along with the litany of human rights abuses in Malaysia.“

The Hindu American Foundation is a non-profit, non-partisan organization promoting the Hindu and American ideals of understanding, tolerance and pluralism.
Posted by barred at 2:06 AM

P.Uthayakumar’s speech at 1st Hindraf National Convention (8/8/10)

p.uthaya
(Refer Free Malaysia Today 8/8/10)
KUALA LUMPUR: Human Rights Party (HRP) leader P Uthayakumar today launched a scathing attack on Umno, calling it the “real enemy” of the Indian community in Malaysia.
The Hindraf leader and former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee also accused Umno of splitting the Indians, and destroying their heritage.
Addressing some 300 delegates at HRP’s first national convention here, the party pro-tem secretary-general also blamed Umno for attempting to create fissures in Hindraf.IMG_2136
“When I was arrested under the ISA in 2007, a police officer with the rank of DSP told me that he will destroy Hindraf in three months.
“They even launched a covert operation called “Ops Padam Hindraf” then. However, we are still here today,” he said to a rousing applause.
Without mincing his words, the outspoken lawyer also accused Umno of “ethnic cleansing” through the destruction of the Indian community’s heritage structures and depriving Indian students of scholarships.
“They destroy our temples, cemeteries and schools. They deny scholarships for our children although they have excellent results. If this is not ethnic cleansing, what else am I to call it?” he asked.
Uthayakumar then ridiculed the Umno-led Barisan Nasional government, saying that it used 11 political parties to destroy Hindraf but still failed.
“They needed the help of 11 political parties to defeat us but we are still here. Do not believe their propaganda claiming Hindraf is split now,” he said.
Uthayakumar said the Indians here were only demanding their basic rights guaranteed under the federal constitution.
IMG_2135 “They always quote Article 153 of the constitution whenever they think we question Malay rights. However, the second part of the article emphasises on the protection of the legitimate interests of the non-bumiputeras which is conveniently forgotten by the ruling party,” he said.
Pakatan slammed as well
Meanwhile, the HRP leader also took a swipe at Pakatan Rakyat for allegedly ignoring the Indians because it wanted to be “politically correct”.
“Indian lawmakers from Pakatan are scared to highlight Indian woes in order not to offend the Malays too much. They fear they might lose Malay votes in the next election.
“They also go around claiming they have given land titles to our temples and schools but when we checked, it is nothing but hogwash,” he said.
Uthayakumar also pledged that HRP would not become a tool of political coalitions, saying that it would only stand for the people.
In a related development, HRP delegates passed a resolution that the movement would be known as Hindraf Makkal Sakthi from today.
Hindraf was banned by the government after it was accused of engaging in activities which posed a threat to public order.
Several other resolutions were passed, including to adopt Hindraf’s controversial 18-point demand without any alteration.
The party also urged the government to provide full aid to all Tamil schools nationwide and scholarships for deserving students.
“We also call on the government to issue MyKad and birth certificates to all Indians who do not have the documents under a special programme.
“The government must make things easy for them by just requesting for a police report. The documents must be handed to them within three months from the day of application.”
The party also agreed to accept all decisions made by its national coordination team and Hindraf chairman and Uthayakumar’s brother, Waytha Moorthy, who is in London on self imposed exile.
“We also agree that Waytha should continue to promote our struggle at the international arena and lead the movement until our demands are met,” said its national adviser N Ganasen.
Posted by barred at 2:01 AM

Banggarma's belief in Hinduism must be honoured

From Mike Mohamed Ghouse, via e-mail

As a Muslim organisation, we appeal to the judge to reverse his decision.

" ... Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error ..." [2:256]

This is Islam's unambiguous affirmation of freedom of faith, which also applies to changing of faith.

The Qur'an illuminates before the humanity the two highways [90:10], one of which leads to salvation. Islam is an invitation to the highway toward salvation, but it is based on freedom of choice.

The verdict amounts to forcing Ms Banggarma to believe what she does not believe, that is not Islamic in any sense.

The original intention of such ruling was to prevent treason against the state for switching loyalties to harm the state, sort of double agent.

Banggarma is no harm to the state, her belief in Hinduism must be honoured.

The writer represents the Texas-based World Muslim Congress.
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1st National Hindraf Makkal Sakthi Convention

Posted by barred at 1:57 AM

Sunday, August 8, 2010

HRP Live conference

Free TV : Ustream
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Saturday, August 7, 2010

HINDRAF 1st National Convention 8/8/2010

HINDRAF 1st National Convention 8/8/2010
(Closed Door)
We are working to telecast Live Proceedings tomorrow beginning from 9.00am onwards in our website.
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Posted by barred at 4:33 PM

Friday, August 6, 2010

Bkt Jalil folks want more time, seek PM's help

By B Nantha Kumar

BUKIT JALIL: The 41 families, whose houses are on the brink of being devoured by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) bulldozers, have turned to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for help.

This morning, the residents submitted a memorandum to Najib's office in Putrajaya, requesting for more time to decide on a new offer made by DBKL.

After living and working in the Bukit Jalil estate for decades, the residents felt that DBKL's three-day grace period to them to make such an important decision was simply unfair.

“We live in a democratic country. Malaysia is not a communist state,” stressed K Balakrishnan, a member of the estate action force committee.

"They gave us only three days to decide. Many of the people here are uneducated. How do you expect them to make a decision within three days?” he asked.

The memorandum was also sent to Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, Federal Territories and Urban Well-being Minister Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin and Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam.

Yesterday, DBKL had offered the residents a RM80,000 flat unit each for RM35,000. The residents were given until midnight tomorrow to decide.

After their eviction deadline expired on Tuesday, the residents vowed to put up a fight even if it meant facing the wrath of the police's anti-riot personnel.

They also believed that there is more than what meets the eye behind the claim that the land, which was allegedly sold to a former minister, would be converted into a cemetery.

'A ploy to break us up'

Meanwhile, Balakrishnan said the residents had little faith in DBKL, and the new offer was also enveloped in uncertainty, with regards to obtaining bank loans to purchase the flat units.

Echoing his views, another resident said there were several former estate workers who took up a similar offer from DBKL in the past but could not secure banks loans.

"Yes, we can take up the offer but will the banks give us the housing loans. What's the point in taking up the offer but not being able to get the loans. DBKL must address this issue,” he said.

The resident, who declined to be named, also accused DBKL of using underhand tactics to get them to vacate their houses.

According to him, former estate workers, who took such offers, were being used to convince them to take up the new offer.

"Yesterday, I received a note from a former resident who said that if I agreed to move, DBKL will give me an additional RM10,000.

“If this is true, they should make the offer public and let us decide. Make the offer to all of us, not only to a selected few. This is just a ploy to break us up," he said.

While the residents denied squatting on the land, DBKL, however, claimed that only 12 of the 41 families were former estate workers, while the rest were squatters.
Posted by barred at 1:21 AM

Boy: I was slapped, kicked by police for no reason

By Teoh El Sen - Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: A 14-year-old boy has claimed that he was repeatedly slapped, kicked, and handcuffed till his wrist was badly injured by a police constable when he was arrested for no apparent reason.

The boy further alleged that during detention on Tuesday night, he was threatened and forced to sign a document to "confess" to his crime-- sexually assaulting a young girl.

Recounting his traumatic experience, M Mugelen said he was taking a swim with his friends at a pool at the Pantai Hill Park condominium at about 7pm with four other friends when police approached them.

"Four policemen came up to us and one of them asked us 'who disturbed the girl?' and we answered we did not," he said.

"I did not even know the girl, who is about eight or nine years old. Why didn't they question a group of Malays who were also nearby?" said Mugelen, adding that he suspected the girl's family had lodged a false report to stop him and his friends from swimming at the area.

Mugelen said he was subsequently slapped three times on the left cheek and all five of them, aged between 14 and 17, were brought to the Pantai police station and later the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters.

One of Mugelen's friends, 17-year-old P Thanasegar, alleged that when he was brought there he was handcuffed to a motorcycle and not given any helmet. He was also allegedly kicked in the stomach.

"At the station, my friends were released but I was left alone at about 10pm. A constable, Yani, with the police number 140179 then asked me what was I doing at the pool. When I answered nothing, he slapped and kicked me. He also tightened my cuffs until I was in so much pain," said Mugelen. Doctors later told him that his wrists were dislocated.

"I cried the whole time and I thought about Kugan, and I became so afraid that I would die like him. The same policeman then told me this was 'a little bit pain only, wait till you enter prison'," said Mugelen. (A Kugan, a suspect in the thefts of luxury cars, was found dead while in police custody last year.)

'Investigate the constable'

Mugelen said he was later brought to another room where he was asked to sign a document he believed was a confession.

"I was so scared that I just signed it. They told me if I did not sign I will go to jail," said Mugelen, who stopped schooling since he was 11 as he did not possess a birth certificate then.

Mugelen was relased at 2am the next day after a RM5,000 police bail was paid by his family, but not before he was again kicked by another unknown policeman.

Human Rights Party Selangor Youth chief S Thiagarajan, who highlighted the boys' plight, said the party is urging police to investigate the constable for the alleged attacks on the boys.

"Under the Children and Young Persons Act 1947, this officer should be charged and sentenced to two years for cruelty to the boy. Also, it is wrong under Article 5 of the Federal Constitution to arrest someone without telling them what is his offence," said Thiagarajan, who asked if police were practicising racial discrimination with the boys' arrest.

Brickfields district police chief ACP Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid said both reports were received but investigations into the alleged abuse have been passed over to Kuala Lumpur police headquarters.

When contacted, Kuala Lumpur deputy police CID chief ACP Khairi Ahrasa said the boy is being investigated for alleged molest.

"We will not cover up; investigations are still ongoing," he said.
Posted by barred at 1:20 AM

Family to commit suicide if forced to Islam

Posted by barred at 1:06 AM

Thursday, August 5, 2010

No way out for Bukit Jalil residents

Posted by barred at 2:28 AM

HRP and Hindraf full force to stop ethnic cleansing of Bukit Jalil esatate homes temple, cemetary and Tamil school by neo colonialist UMNO.

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Kuala Lumpur 4/0/08/2010. Since 6.30 this morning HRP and Hindraf supporters started gathering at the Ladang Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur to put up a peaceful resistance to stop the “ethnic cleansing” of the Bukit Jalil estate workers homes, their Hindu temples, Hindu crematary and their Tamil school build by the British colonialist over 200 years ago. And now after 53 years of independence the same is now to be “ethinically cleansed” by the neo coloialist, racial and religious supremacist and extremist UMNO.
P. Uthayakumar, S. Thiagarajan and S. Tinakaran arrived at about 8.30 a.m and were warmly greeted by the ex-plantation workers of Bukit Jalil estate Music was played with the trademark Hindraf song Tholvi Nilai yena nivaithal. About 30 Hindraf and HRP supporters in their traditional orange shirts and the residents of Ladang Bukit Jalil sang along with full of emotions.
Captain Bala of Bukit Jalil estate then started with the anti UMNO slogans and “Satu Malaysia Dua Sistem” chanting. A group of Bukit Jalil residents then started chanting Hindraf and which was responded with Valga which still remains magical and sent vibrations till to day since the 25th November 2007 Hindraf Rally. Also heard were slogans of “Polis Kejam” DBKL kejam, “Jangan nyaya masyarakat India, satu Malaysia and the response “dua sistem”, “UMNO” and the response “dua system”.
Addressing the media P. Uthayakumar said that the strangers to the 200 year old Bukit Jalil estate ie DBKL formed only some 30 years ago and the Federal Territories Ministry are now declaring these native Indian ex rubber tappers of Bukit Jalil estate as squatters. UMNO’s DBKL “tuans” are now abusing the law by using the Emergency Ordinance to forcibly “ethnically cleanse” the Bukit Jalil estate workers homes, their Hindu temple, Hindu cemetary and Tamil school. UMNO has refused to get a Court Order and are now abusing their powers by using the Emergency Ordinance.
The Bukit Jalil residents were repeatedly invited to discuss the settlement away from the Hindraf & HRP gathering but they had refused. Typical UMNO divide and rule strategy!
Finally about 10.00 a.m one UMNO “tuan” Mohamed Amiruddin, Deputy Director of Operations and read “ethnic cleansing” of UMNO’s DBKL (black and white). This UMNO “tuan” used a loud hailer and announced that all the said residents would be isuued letters of offer to purchase the nearby low cost flats to which the crowd started chanting that they wanted surat hitam putih. This Director went away promising to come back and that the “ethnic cleansing” would be deferred for three days.
Another UMNO temporary solution for Bukit Jalil estate workers homes, their Hindu temple, Hinkdu ceremtary and Tamil school.
After a few hours UMNO’s DBKL come back and handed them an offer letter given to them earlier much to the disappointment of the residents.
HRP’s W. Sambulingam then organised a meeting with the residents at Bukit Jalil at 7.00 p.m today to plan thier next plan of action to also secure land for Hindu temple, cemetary and Tamil school.
Another “Multi-racial” PSM party leaders were seen negotiating with the said DBKL “tuan” and then briefed the gathering about the meeting. But these “comrades” as usual had refused to even ask about the fate of the Hindu temple, Hindu cemetary and the Tamil school. Maybe, because their “Socialist principles” says so or more likely that they may lose Malay voters if they are seen to be also championing justice for the Hindu temples, Hindu cemetery and Tamil schools.
When a member of the gathering had asked this PSM leader about the Hindu temple, Hindu cemetary and the Tamil school he merely had kosong replied “later”.
Two MIC Youth mandores were also seen among the gathering. But they had refused to sing along the Hindraf Tholvi song as there may not be Tholvi in their mandore roles as they are making some peanuts money in the name and by shortchanging the Indian community.
Karunai Nithi @ Compensative Justice.
Posted by barred at 1:52 AM
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