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few things caught my eye in this article:
– gang leader talking about how these fights spoil community and religion name. talk about repenting!
– sale of alcohol (presumably with knowledge of everyone from MIC leaders, temple committee, PHEB, local council, opposition parties, police, local council, penangites)
– Hindraf rally said to be reason that is uniting the community.
– fights are normal in penang during thaipusam
http://malaysiakini.com/news/77214
Penang gears up for a trouble-free Thaipusam
Athi Veeranggan | Jan 19, 08 12:27pm
There is hope in the air that the Thaipusam festival next week will be celebrated in Penang without the usual gang fights between rival Hindu youths. A ‘ceasefire’ talk organised by a local Hindu organisation – the Penang Hindu Sabah (PHS) – last week managed to extract pledges from people with links with Indian gangs in the state to ensure there are no bloody street fights during the festival which will be celebrated next Wednesday. Also present at the meeting were local community leaders.
PHS chairman P Muniandy, who organised and presided the meeting, believed that Hindu youths would refrain themselves from any untoward trouble during the mammoth festival. “Public response to the issue was encouraging and we believe these influential people would be able to control these fights,” Muniandy told Malaysiakini.
During the meeting, which was also attended by a state police team, Muniandy told those present that street battles among Hindu youths were causing embarrassment to the whole community. “This undermines our religion and give room to others to intervene and control our festival,” he said.
A 36-year-old gang leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the meeting was a timely reminder to Hindu youths that there was a greater “fight for survival” facing the community in the country than infighting among them. He said the youths should realise that streets fights during Hindu festivals had only tarnished the religion’s image and turned Hindu festival into laughing stock of other communities. “It’s a self-inflicted insult and injury to our own religion. It’s time to correct the wrongs. It’s in our hands,” he added.
Calls to stop selling alcohol
Those present also called on relevant authorities to stop the sales of alcohol during the festival within the vicinity of Waterfall area., the centre of Thaipusam celebration in Penang. “Alcohol has been the main cause of disruptions and flaring up of street fights during Thaipusam,” said another gang leader, who wanted to be called only as Mani, 46.
Whether one was prepared to accept it or not, a NGO person said the spirit of unity spread by Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) have began to reap fruitful results to the community. “Bringing together these warring groups was a difficult task previously. But now Hindraf spirit has spurred the Hindus to unite and stop internal squabbling,” he said.
Several gang leaders said that the unwarranted street fights during Thaipusam and other festivals had in the past paved way to the police to flex their muscles, harass and arrest Hindu youths and undermine Hindu religious activities. “Many police officers of Indian origins tend to use these festivals as a ground to show their power and authority. “Due to irresponsible attitudes of these warring gangs, who are only a minority, vast majority of Hindus youths were being affected,” concurred the leaders. They have now pledged to stop the fights and conduct the festival in a peaceful and religious manner.
Thaipusam in Penang has always been celebrated in a carnival-like atmosphere. At least a million people, pre-dominantly Hindu devotees , are expected to throng the Waterfall area during the three-day festival which begins with a silver chariot procession on Tuesday, Jan 22.
However, street battles have somewhat become permanent unwanted black features of all major Hindu festivals in the state.
