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WASHINGTON, DC (December 13, 2007). Several human rights activists at the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) raised alarm today over what they described as the continued heavy-handed and authoritarian actions of the Malaysian government in dealing with the leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF).
According to newspaper reports, five leaders of HINDRAF (legal advisers P. Uthayakumar, M. Manoharan, R. Kenghadharan and V. Ganabatirau, and organising secretary T. Vasantha Kumar) were arrested by police on the afternoon of December 13, under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows detention without trial.
Police Chief Musa Hassan claimed that the arrests were in response to "activities that threatened national security". The five were jailed in the Kamunting detention centre in Taiping, Perak, where they can be detained for two years, without undergoing the usual 60-day investigation period.
"This is unconscionable action to silence and demonize Malaysian Hindus who have been struggling to have their voices heard and their grievances addressed," said Ishani Chowdhury, Director of Public Policy, HAF. "The Malaysian authorities are using a sledge-hammer to squash the peaceful protests and the non-violent movement of HINDRAF, and it is incumbent upon world leaders to take note of the extremely authoritarian actions of the Malaysian Government. The arrested leaders should be immediately released."
The HAF highlighted the deteriorating human rights situation for Hindus in Malaysia for the first time this year in its annual human rights report. Islamization of the previously secular Malaysian government and growing religious intolerance in the country is largely responsible for the crisis according to many observers. Several HAF leaders have been in direct contact with HINDRAF leaders, and were personally outraged by the arrest of these leaders. There was concern at the foundation that the government of Malaysia is following the lead of Burma in arresting protesters and their leaders and then waiting out international criticism.
"We applaud the call of human rights observers, political leaders, and activists in Malaysia who have condemned the recent Malaysian Goverment actions against peaceful protesters and the opposition political party leaders," said Ramesh Rao, Senior Fellow at the foundation and chief author of their annual report. "The Malaysian Government's claim to modernity and a progressive society rings hollow in the face of the authoritarian action we have seen in this past month."
The Hindu American Foundation is a non-profit
501(c)(3), non-partisan organization, promoting the Hindu
and American ideals of understanding, tolerance and pluralism.
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