| Hindraf 5 to begin hunger strike on Monday http://malaysiakini.com/news/77199 |
| Jan 18, 08 4:58pm |
| Five Hindraf leaders will go on hunger strike beginning Monday to protest against being detained without trial after organising anti-discrimination protests.
The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders were jailed last month under draconian internal security laws, after they enraged the government by holding an unprecedented mass rally. Organisers said that the Hindraf leaders would fast for seven days from Monday, and would be joined by supporters across the nation who will hold an eight-day public hunger strike starting Sunday. “The Hindraf leaders are going on a hunger strike and we want to show the people’s support for them,” M Kulasegaran, one of the lawyers representing the five detainees, told AFP. He said the action was aimed at protesting against the detention of the five, and to demand an end to what they say is marginalisation of ethnic Indians in Malaysia. “Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who said he is willing to walk the talk and listen to the people, has all of a sudden used an old technique to silence the people,” said Kulasegaran, who is also an opposition politician. The five are being held at the Kamunting detention centre in Perak, some 300km from Kuala Lumpur. Held in isolation 16 hours a day Kulasegaran said he met with the activists on Tuesday and that they were in high spirits but were being held in isolation for 16 hours a day and were denied access to reading materials. He said that the public hunger strike would be staged in several locations across the country, including at a Hindu temple in Ipoh where some 100 participants were expected to take part. |