Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email HINDRAF together with various other groups and NGOs organised a nationwide peaceful protest (meaning police did not provoke the protesters, no tear gas and water cannons!) in various location in KL, Seremban, Penang, Ipoh, JB etc.
So far, 7 people were taken for questioning in Penang as reported by MK and Anil Netto , including K Sudhagaran Stanley, M Suparamaniam, B Vimal, Lau Shu Shi, Teh Chun Hong (both Suaram members), social activist BK Ong and blogger Sathish.
My guess is that the bloggers like Sudhagaran and Sathish were there to cover the event, but report says they were distributing phamplets. I wonder if the police are actively targetting those with digital camera and video cameras so that the images and videos don’t get into websites. Its a case of you can’t see it, you can’t talk about it, I guess. Anyway, its a bad idea since many many people have camera phones and digicams now. How many people can you can you arrest? One may stand a bit far and use telephoto lens to zoom in or record from a higher ground, so there are virtually unlimited ways to get things recorded.
On the other hand, not many people were at the spots protesting, except in Penang. Is it due to the last minute notice or clash with Mother’s day?
Some blogs have been updated with reports and pictures:
Read The Other Press, To Be or Not To Be, Malaysian Insider, and Anil Netto.
I haven’t get any info yet on the protests. Will update when more info arrives.
By the way, Uthaya’s mom is to submit (yet another!) memorandum to PM to release her son for treatment. I’m sure by now the whole country knows that memorandums won’t get responses.
Supporters rally for release of Hindraf leaders (updated)
source
By NELSON BENJAMIN
KUALA LUMPUR: Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) supporters gathered peacefully in various places on Sunday to seek the release of five of its leaders detained under the Internal Security Act. Hindraf co-ordinator R. Kannan said the gathering at KLCC here was aimed at relaying a message to the Government that detainees had their rights to proper medical treatment.
He said Hindraf leader P. Uthayakumar’s health is deteriorating due to diabetes that is affecting his heart condition. He said Uthayakumar needs medical attention from IJN (National Heart Institute).
Also present was Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-chairman and Subang MP S. Sivarasa.
Several truck-loads of Federal Reserve Unit personnel and policemen were stationed there and no arrest was made as the Hindraf supporters dispersed peacefully half an hour after being told to do so by the police.
In Johor Baru, Hindraf supporters carried a banner and placards along Jalan Ungku Puan, demanding the abolition of the ISA and also for the five Hindraf leaders detained under the ISA to be released and for Uthayakumar be given proper medical attention. The 11am gathering caused a massive traffic jam around the city centre but the supporters dispersed within 40 minutes.
In Ipoh, Hindraf supporters gathered at the Courts Mammoth outlet for five minutes to call for the abolition of the ISA, the release of ISA detainees and for proper medical treatment for Uthayakumar. The 11am gathering dispersed peacefully after a warning from the police.
Bloggers detained over Hindraf protests
By PRISCILLA DIELENBERG & M. SIVANANTHA SHARMA
PENANG: A primary schoolteacher and a social activist, both bloggers, have been detained for questioning for taking part in an illegal assembly organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) here.
Perak-born Sathis Kumar, 27, and Ong Boon Keong, 48, were picked up in front of the Gurney Plaza shopping complex in Gurney Drive.
They took part in the assembly on Sunday seeking for detained Hindraf leader P. Uthayakumar to be sent to the Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) because of his heart condition.
George Town OCPD Asst Comm Azam Abd Hamid said he was informed at 11.10am that about 30 people were taking part in an assembly without a permit, an offence under Section 27 of the Police Act, near the Gurney Drive roundabout, and he directed his men to disperse the group.
He said the group initially agreed to disband but tried to gather again in front of the shopping complex about 100m away.
ACP Azam said the police wanted to record the statements from the two men because they were found to be playing an active role in the group and were seen distributing flyers. He added that police also identified several others to assist in investigations.
To allegations that the police did not ask the group to disperse and did not give them a chance to negotiate, ACP Azam replied: “There was nothing to negotiate as the gathering was illegal. And they knew how to disperse.” He advised the group not to take the law into their own hands and not to assume that what they were doing was right.
Hindraf co-ordinator R.S. Thanenthiran said similar gatherings were held simultaneously in Prai, Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, Seremban and Johor Baru on Sunday with no untoward incidents.
He said the arrest of the two were uncalled for and unjustified, claiming they were just “passers-by” and were taking photographs for their blogs.
Thanenthiran said demonstrations would be held every Sunday until Uthayakumar is referred to IJN for treatment.
Free Hindraf detainees or face more demos
http://malaysiakini.com/news/82661
May 11, 08 2:55pm
Ethnic Indian activists today warned the government to provide medical aid to one of its leaders and free those detained under tough internal security laws or face more street rallies.
About 30 protesters from Indian rights group Hindraf blocked the entrance to a shopping mall at the iconic Petronas twin towers in downtown Kuala Lumpur to demand medical attention for P Uthayakumar, who is diabetic. Uthayakumar and four other members of the rights group Hindraf have been detained under the tough Internal Security Act (ISA) since December after holding an anti-discrimination rally.
“This gathering is to send a clear message to the government,” Hindraf coordinator S Jayathas told reporters. “If (the government) deny (treatment to Uthayakumar and do not release the ISA detainees), then we will have a bigger gathering, that is definite,” he said.
Hindraf leaders angered the government last November with a mass rally alleging discrimination in Malaysia, which is dominated by Muslim Malays.
Mounting anger within the Indian community was said to have been a factor in the government’s drubbing in March 8 polls where it lost its two-thirds majority in parliament.
Nationwide protests
Opposition lawmaker Sivarasa Rasiah, who turned up to support the event, said the government should release ISA detainees unless they had proof to charge them in open court. “As far as I am concerned, one day under ISA detention is too long, one ISA detainee is too many,” he added.
Close to 300 policemen were deployed outside the busy shopping mall to control the protesters, with watercannon vans and riot police waiting nearby.
Hindraf supporters carried posters showing a weak-looking Uthayakumar behind bars as the crowd yelled, “Abolish the ISA” and “Freedom.”
Similar protests were held in six other locations through the country, organisers said.
Rights groups say 70 people, mainly alleged Islamic militants, are being held under the ISA. Parts of the ISA date back to the British colonial era, when it was used against communist insurgents. It provides for two-year detention periods that can be renewed indefinitely.
Anti-ISA rally: 7 arrested in Penang
Athi Veeranggan & Rachel Chan Suet Kay | May 11, 08 4:15pm
http://malaysiakini.com/news/82659
Seven persons were detained, including a blogger and a woman activist, during a 45-minute anti-Internal Security Act demonstration in George Town, Penang this morning. Among those were social activist BK Ong (photo) and blogger K Satish Kumar, who were arrested after they took part in the demonstration held at Gurney Drive at about 11.10am. Meanwhile, rights group Suaram activists Lau Shu Shi and Teh Chun Hong were detained after they lodged police reports at the city police headquarters in Jalan Patani, Georgetown at 2.45pm. Five were freed on police bail after being held for seven hours. However, Lau and Teh had been remanded and are expected to brought to court to be formally charged tomorrow. The other three released today were K Sudhagaran Stanley, M Suparamaniam and B Vimal.
Georgetown police chief ACP Azam Abd Hamid said Ong and Satish Kumar were picked up because they were ‘active’ during the demonstration held by nearly 150 people near the Gurney Drive roundabout at 10am.
The gathering, part of a nationwide protest, was to urge the government to release all ISA detainees and grant Hindraf legal adviser P Uthayakumar proper medical treatment.
Uthayakumar, who was detained under the ISA on Dec 13 last year along with four other Hindraf leaders, is said to be suffering from heart complaints. His family said that as a result of his detention, he is riddled with a blood sugar level of 13.5, disrupted eyesight, chest pains, and possibly damaged heart muscles. His supporters want the government to refer him to the National Heart Institute (IJN) for further treatment.
The demonstration in Penang was jointly organised by the Penang group of Hindu Rights Action Front (Hindraf), Suaram, Penang Watch, Tanjung Workers Service Centre, Repeal ISA Coailition (GMI).
Incident-free gathering in KL
A similar gathering was also held in Kuala Lumpur this morning, with about 30 people – including Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah – assembling at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre shopping mall. This was a revisit by Hindraf to the location after its mammoth Nov 25 rally last year which attracted about 30,000 people.
As a result of that massive rally, the government launched its crackdown on Hindraf, culminating in the detention of five leaders in Kamunting detention camp. Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy is presently in self-imposed exile in London.
R Kannan, a Hindraf coordinator who was the key organiser of the Kuala Lumpur protest, said that the government had been silent on the numerous appeals lodged to seek immediate medical treatment for Uthayakumar (photo).
“Even criminals are given medical treatment, so why not our Uthayakumar? He has done so much for the people, we cannot let this happen,” said Kannan. “Uthayakumar has been having diabetes since early on. The medication he has received is not sufficient,” chipped in MP Sivarasa who joined in the gathering to show support for the movement. “We also demand that all ISA detainees be released. We should emulate our neighbours Thailand and Indonesia for fair trials,” he added.
It is also learnt that Uthayakumar’s mother would be handing in a memorandum to the prime minister tomorrow, calling for the release of all ISA detainees. “We hope they will consider releasing the detainees this time,” added Kannan.
No arrests were reported in Kuala Lumpur although there was a strong police presence. Similar gatherings were also held in Ipoh and Seremban today.
Arrested for not dispersing
In Penang, OCPD Azam said Ong and Satish were picked up to question on their role in the demonstration. A police team from the Pulau Tikus police station arrived at the demonstration scene at 11.10am and told the demonstrators to abandon the rally and disperse from the area.
However, Ong and Satish were arrested in Gurney Plaza, about 500 metres away, after they had left the venue. Azam claimed the duo failed to adhere to police instruction to abandon the ‘illegal’ rally and leave the area.
However, a Hindraf activist from Penang, K Vasantha, 26, said the demonstrators were not told to disperse immediately. “We were given 45 minutes and we complied to it. I don’t understand why our friends were arrested,” she said.
The Suaram duo however were detained after Lau lodged a police report against police harassment at the rally. Lau had just came out from the Jalan Patani police station premise when an unidentified police officer raised his voice against her. When Lau told the officer to lower his voice and show respect to her, a shouting match ensued between them. She was then taken under the police custody for questioning. Teh was also detained for recording the Lau incident. His video camera was also seized.
Second rally in Penang
No untoward incidents were reported, however at another Hindraf demonstration in Megamall Pinang in Prai. Led by Makkal Sakti coordinator RS Thanenthiran (photo), about 300 people took part in the rally. The rally lasted for about 40 minutes before the demonstrators dispersed peacefully in the present of about 100 riot police personnel armed with batons and helmets. At both rallies in Penang, protesters display banners rallying cry for the release of the detained five Hindraf leaders and urging the government to repeal the tough ISA, which allows for detention without trial.
Besides Uthayakumar, the other four Hindraf leaders detained are M Manoharan, R Kenghadharan, V Ganabatirau and T Vasantha Kumar.
Dear Poobalan
What made you think that these people were there as by-standers ? And not distributing pamphlets ? Police is not stupid to arrest people for just taking pictures. Check out news report that carried out the actual incident that transpired that led to these guys arrest.
I think you must have also received the ranting letters that the clown Stanley Sudhagaran wrote to the local papers through email right ? Do you think it is a coincident that Sathish and Stanley were happend to be there ?
BTW you are right in saying that the crowd was very small. In fact RS Thenendran is lying in saying that the Penang Megamall demo had 300 people participating.
One of my friend up north in Penang actually happened to be at demo in Butterworth and had sent me some photos. According to him the crowd was less than 100 people and the police was extremely accodomating and let them to demo while they directed the traffic. And later all these guys dispersed. He told me that the crowd looked dis-spirited and uncoordinated and most people just ignored them. In fact my friend was furious for the massive jam that the demo had caused.
If you are interested, I can certainly send the photos to you to be uploaded to this website.
I know you are an objective person so I hope you could be objective and rational in your posts in regards to HINDRAF as well. Certainly by suggesting that the police arresting people for taking pics is ridiculous, for my friend was happily snapping away while the police looked on.
I don’t believe they were bystanders. I’m sure they were actively taking photos, and most likely one of the distributed phamplets. Anyhow, it seems they were released after few hours.
i’ll be happy to post the photos. Please do send.
As for suggesting that police may arrest people for flimsy reason, I’m sure experiences that appear in papers speaks for itself. Maybe not arrest per se, but even taken in for questioning. Just to instill fear in you so that you’ll think twice before doing the same thing again.