Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email Their plans for a march to the palace was cancelled following advice from the police, but the Orang Asli group have some serious grouses that needs attention.
The march organised by Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia) to the palace this morning was called off following ‘advice’ from the police.
The group of more than 100 was unable to start their march from the Central Market Annexe at 10.15am when the police stopped them.
Suaram’s S Arutchelvan and Orang Asli activist Colin Nicholas had an argument with the police team led by ASP Sydney Clyde Jeremiah of the Dang Wangi police district.
The organisers claimed they had permission from the police for today’s event two weeks ago and were unhappy that they were prevented from carrying it out this morning.
However, ASP Sydney advised them to disperse failing which the police would have no choice but to arrest those taking part in the march.
The organisers then decided to call it off and held a press conference at 10.45am instead to make public their demands and recommendations contained in a memorandum, meant to be submitted to the palace.
Colin told the press conference that the march was never granted a permit but they received verbal “permission and approval” from the Dang Wangi police.
Their written application was originally rejected but when they appealed for permission, it was given verbally on the understanding that there would be no political sentiments involved in the event.
When asked if the police gave any reason to stop the march, Colin replied: “No, but he (ASP Sydney) said the march has to be stopped because of latest political development in the country.”
Yesterday, blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok were detained under the Internal Security Act.
The march this morning was organised to submit a memorandum to the king seeking recognition of the rights of indigenous groups as espoused in the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Similar to Hindraf, they also have their memorandum:
Despite calling off a march to the King’s palace to submit a memorandum, our spirits are not broken and we will continue to voice our disappointment towards the government, the Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia) said today.
In the memorandum, the network had protested the non-recognition of their customary lands, forced resettlement, non-recognition of cultural rights, unfair policies of assimilation and integration, and outright disregard for judicial decisions.
The march was planned in conjunction with the first anniversary of United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In the memorandum, the group highlighted several violations including Orang Asal rights as the land-owners.
“The federal and state governments have acted maliciously against the Orang Asal by forcibly taking our lands, territories and resources without our free, prior consent,” executive director of Borneo Resources Institute, Mark Bujang, told a press conference following the cancellation of the march this morning from police ‘advice’.
Reading out the memorandum, Mark said in Selangor alone, about 7,000 hectares of Orang Asal reserves were degazetted without their knowledge. Neither were they informed when, where and how the areas were taken from them.
“In Sabah and Sarawak, an increasing number of communities are now finding out the hard way that their native customary lands have been given to oil palm and industrial tree plantation companies or leased to logging companies – again without their prior consent,” he added.
Furthermore, the Orang Asal have been subjected to force for involuntary resettlements because of government’s non-recognition of their native titles.
Mark cited as an example the forced resettlement of Chewong-Orang Asli community in the Kelau Dam project in Pahang where the indigenous people were intentionally misrepresented by the agents of the government and forced to resettle.
“To make matters worse, the indigenous community concerned need not be resettled as their village would not have been affected by the projects,” Mark explained.
Among their demands, the Orang Asal have requested that customary land be returned and appropriate legal processes be taken for the restitution of the land obtained.“The government must immediately halt the legal process to gazette land which indiscriminately acquire the indigenous customary lands,” said Mark.
He added the courts should prioritise cases involving customary land dispute and urged the government to provide legal assistance for their cases.
According to findings in the memorandum, the Orang Asal consist of more than 80 ethno-linguistic groups, each with its own culture, language and territory, totalling up to four million or 15 per cent of national population.
“In the context of Malaysia, however, no law or policy was found that mentions the right to self-determination for indigenous peoples, let alone, accord us that right,” said Mark.
According to him, the Orang Asal have suffered from injustices by previous regimes and governments since the formation of the government of Malaysia.
“Therefore, the government must apologise for all these injustices and prejudices that have happened throughout the history,” he stressed.
