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MIBA Sivakumar talks about the positives of Hindraf rally

January 7th, 2008
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Silver lining of Hindraf rally

http://malaysiakini.com/news/76766

RK Anand | Jan 7, 08 3:45pm

On Nov 25 last year, some 30,000 people reportedly flooded the streets in Kuala Lumpur to participate in a rally. 

The massive turnout caught everybody by surprise, including the organiser – Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

In a knee-jerk response, government leaders called it an act of extremism, arguing that all is well with the Indian community and hence there was no other motive, except for a sinister one, for such a rally.

Scores were arrested, while five Hindraf leaders, four of whom lawyers, are being held under the Internal Security Act (ISA). The five were accused of having links with terrorist groups, a charge they have vehemently denied.

However, as the days passed, there seemed to be an official recognition of the problems faced by the Indian community. Suddenly, all was not well after all.

Even MIC and its leaders acquiesced, carefully pointing out the leaks that needed to be plugged.

Positive side

"This is the positive side of the Hindraf rally," argued Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba) president P Sivakumar. 

"This must be acknowledged. It is because of the five individuals locked up under ISA that so many things are moving now," he told Malaysiakini today.

"These professionals, who could have led comfortable lives, were forced to shoulder this issue because the groups tasked with helping the Indians failed miserably. They have sacrificed their freedom for this," he added.

On the momentum of change stoked by Hindraf, Sivakumar said since the Nov 25 rally, there have been some positive developments.

The most notable, he pointed out, is that it has united the Indian community. Apart from this, he said numerous meetings and assurances followed.

"For example, the special meeting between Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Indian non-governmental organisations on Dec 14," added Sivakumar, who was present at the meeting.

He said MIC and its president S Samy Vellu, who have come under intense pressure, are now forced to act for the betterment of the Indian community.

"Not to forget Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo meeting with Hindu groups over the issue of temple demolitions and the prime minister also giving an assurance concerning this.

"The premier, in his winding up speech during the special meeting, also acknowledged that help was not trickling down and promised to look into improving the delivery system.

"After three generations of Indian Malaysian parents selling off their assets to educate their children, there is now hope of more educational grants and loans coming forth.

"There is also hope that all races in Malaysia will one day be treated equally. Why did all of these happen? Because of the Hindraf rally," he noted.

'New champions' 

Sivakumar also pointed out that the rally gave rise to 'new champions' of the Indian community and some of them are branding the rally as a form of extremism.

"But where would these new champions be if not for the rally?" he asked.

In view of this, Sivakumar urged all parties, including the media, to stop using the word extremism to describe the rally.

"This is an unkind term which should not be used," he said, calling the rally a "just cause" born out of "bottled-up frustration".

"The rally, which was meant to be peaceful, was an eye opener, it got everybody talking. It even captured the world's attention," he added.

Critics have lambasted Hindraf and its leaders for making claims, which they said, bordered on extremism and could lead to racial tensions.

Chief among these are the claims that the government has marginalised the Indian community and subjected them to ethnic cleansing.

'No evidence' 

In a related development, Samy Vellu told Indian television station NDTV that the Hindraf five are held under ISA on 'suspicion' of having terrorist links, namely with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The veteran politician said this when asked if the government has evidence to back the accusation.

Below is an excerpt from the Jan 2 interview.

NDTV: Do you have any evidence to back your government's charge that Hindraf has links with terrorists?

Samy Vellu: Hindraf said they would fight like the Tigers (LTTE), the way the Tigers are fighting in Sri Lanka. It was by (Hindraf chairperson) P Waythamoorthy. After he talked like that, we did an investigation and it was felt that he may have gone there for training.

NDTV: Do you have evidence of this?

Samy Vellu: No. It is our suspicion.

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hindraf and war of roses

January 7th, 2008
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However, it is expected that the police will declare the gathering of 10,000 illegal – with or without roses.

without doubt, it will be not given a permit. national security, traffic congestion, application must be made by organisation, thugs may cause violence etc. will be the reasons. Valid reasons of course. if many policemen and FRUs are assigned to parliment, lack of security may increase criminal activities in other places; traffic jam due to roadblock and road closures; Hindraf is not registered organisation; anyone can join the crowd and cause mayhem.

anyway, i suppose being a non-working day and the parliment not in session yet, PM or his representative won't be around. Probably the organisers can ask everyone to pass by and leave the flowers there between 7am and 2pm or so. this will reduce the probability of traffic jam and violence instigated by other people. just put some large baskets to put the flowers in. later the Parliment police can easily dispose of it, or even resell it to the florists. make some side money la…

anyway, looking at the current support for hindraf, i think there will be much more than 10000 people wanting to give PM a rose. 20K? 30K? 40K?

Hindraf declares war… of roses
http://malaysiakini.com/news/76787
Syed Jaymal Zahiid | Jan 7, 08 7:18pm

Its leaders have been demonised and detained, its supporters labeled as misguided, and its grievances dismissed as ‘extreme’.

So what does Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) have up its sleeves to make known its plight and that of the Indian community?

Roses. Lots and lots of them. And for whom? Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. 

In a statement from London today, Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy said 10,000 Indians bearing red and yellow roses will converge in February at the Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur to petition Abdullah on issues affecting the Indian community.

Red roses to signify the ‘love and peace’ with which Hindraf brings its message, yellow roses to signify the demand for justice for five of Hindraf’s leaders – including Waytha’s brother Uthayakumar – who are currently held under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Waythamoorthy said the yellow roses also symbolise the ‘cry for justice’ emanating from the Indian community on the whole that ‘has been neglected for the last 50 years’.

Abdullah, as internal security minister, had signed the orders for the detention of the ‘Hindraf 5' under the ISA – which provides for detention without trial. They were accused of being a threat to national security.

‘The heart bleeds’

Waythamoorthy said Hindraf aims to unleash its ‘flower power’ and bring its message of love, peace and justice in conjunction with Valentine’s Day.

However, the roses for Abdullah will only be delivered two days later on Feb 16.

‘The heart of the Indian community bleeds on the incarceration of their leaders under the ISA. It is hoped by accepting the roses, the prime minister would be compassionate and understand the needs of the Indian community,” said Waythamoorthy.

Requesting Abdullah to “make himself available” to the petitioners, Waythamoorthy said Hindraf hopes the prime minister would be more compassionate.

“It is hoped that by accepting the roses, the prime minister would be compassionate and understand the needs of the Indian community,” he said.

However, it is expected that the police will declare the gathering of 10,000 illegal – with or without roses.

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PM to be given Valentine roses by Indians

January 7th, 2008
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Got it from a forwarded email:

HINDRAF
135-3 Jalan Toman 7
Kemayan Square 70200
Seremban N.Sembilan
7th January 2008.

Press Statement

Re: HINDRAF LAUNCHES VALENTINE ROSES CAMPAIGN TO FREE ISA DETAINEES AND ASSERT RIGHTS OF MINORITY MALAYSIAN INDIANS WHO HAVE BEEN OPPRESSED SUPPRESSED MARGINALISED AND REMAINED PERMANENTLY COLONIZED COMMUNIY.

HINDRAF REQUESTS PRIME MINISTER TO MAKE HIMSELF AVAILABLE TO ACCEPT ROSES FROM AND ON BEHALF OF 70% POOR AND UNDERCLASS INDIANS.

On the 16th February 2008 (Saturday) a minimum of 10,000 Malaysian Indians representing 70% of the poor oppressed suppressed and marginalized community would make themselves available to hand over red and yellow roses to the Honourable Prime Minister Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in conjunction with Valentine’s Day.

Red Roses would signify HINDRAF’s Love and Peaceful Struggle whilst yellow roses would signify the Demand for Justice for the 5 HINDRAF leaders held under the draconian laws and for the rights of the minority Indian community who have been neglected for the last 50 years since Independence by the Government.

The minimum of 10,000 Minority Indians would make themselves available as follows:

Date : 16th February 2008 (Saturday)

Time : 11.00 am

Venue : Parliament House Kuala Lumpur

HINDRAF wishes to assert that this is purely a peaceful gathering with the view to present our beloved Prime Minister with Roses to enlighten him on the predicament and Cry for Justice of the Minority Indian community. The heart of the Indian community bleeds on the incarceration of their leaders under the ISA. It is hoped by accepting the roses the Prime Minister would be compassionate and understand to the needs of the Indian community.

HINDRAF requests the Prime Minister to attend personally to accept the roses or alternatively make his personal representative available to accept the same. We are amenable to change the venue if it is inconvenient with the Honourable Prime Minister.

We trust the Government would perfectly understand the peaceful gesture of Malaysian Indians and allow these poor oppressed and underclass to express their feelings through presentation of the Roses.

HINDRAF wishes the Honourable Prime Minister (an advance) “HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY.”

P.Waytha Moorthy
Chairman
Currently in London
waytha@hotmail.com

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media statement by waytha on AP interview

January 5th, 2008
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Waytha Moorthy's Press Statement (not published by local dailies in Malaysia, but widely distributed in the biggest newspaper in the world – the Internet email system)
  
(Email details deleted.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          From: waytha moorthy <waytha@...> To:Subject: HINDRAF STRUGGLE TO CONTINUE- PRESS STATEMENT 3.1.08 Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2008 03:15:26 +0800
MEDIA STATEMENT BY HINDRAF
 
 
RE: HINDRAF’S PEACEFUL STRUGGLE FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE MINORITY INDIANS WILL CONTINUE TO THE END
HINDRAF WILL NOT GIVE UP EVEN IF WE ARE FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE.
MY STATEMENT TO AP TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT
 
On the 30th December 2007 I was interviewed by a journalist from the AP who had spent about 1 ½ hours interviewing me. I am equally disappointed that a small portion of the interview had been blown out of proportion to mean I am giving up the struggle of Hindraf or that the struggle is likely to die soon.
 
I wish to clarify the following:
a) I will continue to lead HINDRAF even if I’m on the move throughout the world.
b) HINDRAF’s struggle will not die “soon”  as I have many plans lined up and will reveal to the Malaysian Indians in stages and with the support of  PEOPLE POWER which we are witnessing now we will together continue to advocate and assert the rights of the Minority Indian community.
c) I will do all possible within my means to lobby support from the British Government Parliamentarians and Human Rights Organizations and these include our demand that the 5 Leaders of Hindraf be released unconditionally and the Minority Indian Rights which has been neglected over the last 50 years be protected. Thereafter I plan to continue the lobby to Europe, United Nations in Geneva, America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
 
d) HINDRAF would also be organizing various peaceful protests throughout the country to highlight the plight of the 70% poor underclass Malaysian Indian society and for the release of the 5 Leaders of which I would announce the first plan on Monday 7th January 2008.
 
e)      In the interview I was questioned what if after years (5-10years) of campaigning and lobbying the Government still doesn’t budge?
My answer was even if we are fighting a losing battle we will continue with the battle because not all battles are meant to be won. Great warriors do not worry about dying in the battlefield. If we are meant to loose we will loose so that someone else who take up the cause after us will win the war. If we loose after years of campaigning so be it we will call it a day. No one organization (including HINDRAF) can ever claim we are here forever and will continue forever. Nothing is permanent in this world and it also applies to HINDRAF.
 
PEOPLE POWER can continue with the struggle but the ultimate power lies in the Government. In Malaysia Indians are minority and the reality is we can’t form a Government to change the situation. So the responsibility lies in this Government to make the necessary changes in the interest of the minority Indian community.
 
 
f)        In the said interview I repeated my statement which was given to the AFP about 2 years ago when I commented on the issue of temple demolition. I had then said that (on the issue of temple demolition) eventually we too would fail the community but I fear the outcome after that. “At the moment devotees are crying and begging but eventually they would not plead and cry any more”.
 
My fear which I had highlighted about 2 years ago came true when we all saw what happened at Padang Jawa Temple demolition. Devotees who were for the first time protecting the temple with their bare hands and yet the authorities had violently attacked them and though devotees were injured in the attempt they were arrested and charged with criminal offences.
I again wish to reiterate my fear. The Government has successfully locked up voices of peaceful struggle for democratic rights and dissent. People have no one they can trust to lead them as they are all locked up. All their hundreds of appeals, memorandums and letters to the Prime Minister written on their behalf by these leaders have gone to waste bins. What can you expect them to do next? These are poor people who are not educated to articulate their grievances in a refined manner. In these circumstances I honestly feel our “chapter” (HINDRAF’S peaceful struggle) has been forcibly closed by the Government and so they must expect a new chapter to be opened but we are not part of that chapter. If a new undesirable chapter is opened in the history of Malaysia then we hold the Government solely responsible for they have killed legitimate voices of dissent and peaceful democratic struggle by HINDRAF.
 
g)      I was also quoted to have said the following, “…..if they can give us real concessions we are willing to keep our mouth shut I don’t look at myself as a sacrifier”.
 
1 ½ years ago I was interviewed by members of the Police Special Branch who had wanted to know my intentions of leading HINDRAF and my activities. Everyone would know that at that time HINDRAF was practically dealing on issues of Religious conversions (Article 121 1(A)) and Temple demolitions. Yes I did tell the Special Branch then  that if the Government resolves at least the temple demolition issue and permanently gazettes all temples existing prior to independence I will “keep  my mouth shut” and leave the public scene.
 
h)      I will never regret for initiating HINDRAF and leading it to its current struggle. The Malaysian Indians have been cheated by the UMNO led Government over the last 50 years using “coalition” Indian political parties to pacify the Indian community whenever they complain their rights are trampled upon. The UMNO Government’s “divide and rule” policy seemed to have succeeded but not any longer. The Indian community can no longer be cheated
 
But my heart goes to the 5 HINDRAF leaders who have been made scapegoats by the Government. The irony is even our legal advisers namely Mr.R.Kengadharan and Mr. M. Manoharan who were purely acting for HINDRAF as legal advisers were not spared. They were both vigorously and couragesly defending us when various sedition and criminal charges were levelled against us. Their incarceration in particular are not acceptable for it goes against all tenets of basic Human Rights to detain lawyers who defend their clients. It proves the Government is vindictive and malicious and had intended to warn would be advocates of HINDRAF to “stay away” from representing us.
 
 
P.Waytha Moorthy
Hounslow
Middlesex
 
As i mentioned earlier, NST took the news from Deccan Chronicles which in turn refered to AP's interview, which came out in IHT. Confused?
 
Read what Waytha's immediate response was, and also the articles written by NST and Star at:
 
Article by MK is below.
 
'I'm not giving up Hindraf struggle'
Yoges Palaniappan | Jan 4, 08 12:57pm
Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) chairperson P Waythamoorthy, who is currently in United Kingdom, has claimed that he was misquoted in an interview conducted by the Associated Press (AP) on Dec 30.

In a statement released from Hounslow, London today, Waythamoorthy said his comments to AP was "taken out of context".

"I am disappointed that a small portion of the interview had been blown out of proportion to mean I am giving up the struggle of Hindraf or that struggle is likely to die soon," he said.

In the interview which was widely published both locally and in international media, Waythamoorthy was quoted as saying, among others, that Hindraf has to close the chapter and that it would not be part of the next chapter if there is any.

Clarifying today, Waythamoorthy said: "The government has successfully locked up voices of peaceful struggle for democratic rights and dissent.

"People have no one they can trust to lead them as they are all locked up. All their hundreds of appeals, memorandums and letters to the prime minister written on their behalf by these leaders have gone to waste bins. What can you expect them to do next?

"These are poor people who are not educated to articulate their grievances in a refined manner. In these circumstances I honestly feel our "chapter" (Hindraf's peaceful struggle) has been forcibly closed by the government and so they must expect a new chapter to be opened," he said.

However, he added, if a "new undesirable chapter" is opened in the history of Malaysia, the organisation would hold the government solely responsible for they have killed legitimate voices of dissent and peaceful democratic struggle.

The government's responsibility

He said that he was also asked in the AP interview on Hindraf's position if the government failed to make any changes even after five to 10 years of campaigning.

"My answer was even if we are fighting a losing battle, we will continue with the battle because not all battles are meant to be won.

"If we lose after years of campaigning so be it, we will call it a day. No one organisation (including Hindraf) can ever claim we are here forever and will continue forever. Nothing is permanent in this world and it also applies to Hindraf," he said.

He added that it was the responsibility of the government to make the necessary changes in the interest of the minority Indian community.

"People power can continue with the struggle but the ultimate power lies in the government. In Malaysia, Indians are minority and the reality is we can't form a government to change the situation," he added.

He also said that he was misquoted when he told the interviewer that he would keep his mouth shut if the government agrees to give them (Indians) two or three real concessions and that he did not look at him as a sacrificer.

He explained that was what he had told a police special branch officer who interviewed him one and a half years ago that he would "keep his mouth shut" and leave the public scene if the government resolved at least the temple demolition issue and permanently gazetted all temples existing prior to independence.

"Everyone would know that at that time Hindraf was practically dealing on issues of religious conversions and temple demolitions," he said in his statement today.

Struggle to continue

He reiterated that he will continue to lead Hindraf even if he was on the move throughout the world.

He stressed that Hindraf's struggle will not "die soon" as reported in the AP article.

"I have many plans lined up and will reveal to the Malaysian Indians in stages and with the support of people power which we are witnessing now we will together continue to advocate and assert the rights of the minority Indian community," he said.

"I will do all possible within my means to lobby support from the British government parliamentarians and human rights organisations and these include our demand that the five Hindraf leaders be released unconditionally."

"Thereafter I plan to continue the lobby to Europe, United Nations in Geneva, America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand," he said.

In his statement, Waythamoorthy said that he "will never regret for initiating Hindraf and leading it to its current struggle".

"The Malaysian Indians have been cheated by the Umno-led government over the last 50 years using coalition Indian political parties to pacify the Indian community whenever they complain their rights are trampled upon.

"The government's divide-and-rule policy seemed to have succeeded but not any longer. The Indian community can no longer be cheated," he said.

Peaceful protests
He also said that he felt sad for the five Hindraf leaders who have been made scapegoats by the government.

The five – P Uthayakumar, M Manoharan, R Kenghadharan, V Ganabatirau and T Vasanthakumar – have been detained under the Internal Security Act last December for allegedly being a threat to the national security. They have been detained for two years at the Kamunting Detention Centre.

"The irony is even our legal advisers Kenghadharan and Manoharan who were purely acting for Hindraf as legal advisers were not spared. They were both vigorously and couragesly defending us when various sedition and criminal charges were levelled against us," said Waythamoorthy.

He also said that Hindraf would be organising various peaceful protests throughout the country to highlight the plight of the underclass Indian society and for the release of the five Hindraf leaders.

He said he would be announcing his next step of action next week.

AP interview excerpts

Some excerpts from Waythamoorthy's AP interview :

"We are fighting a losing battle, we know. We try our level best but if we don't succeed, we have to call it a day, isn't it?"

"We have to close the chapter. There may be a new chapter, but we may not be part of the next chapter… I know, eventually we will also fail."

"We want the minority Indians to be given their basic rights If they can give us two or three (real concessions), we are willing to keep our mouth shut."

"That's what I don't understand: why isn't the government conceding? We are not asking for super rights, we are asking for basic rights."

"What we can, we will still do. But if the whole struggle is going to die, what can we do?… As it stands now I don't think we can accelerate."

 
 

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waytha moorthy replies on Hindraf status

January 3rd, 2008
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This is the reply from the man himself (edited):

From: waytha moorthy <waytha@hotmail.com>

Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2008 10:38:11 +0800
Subject: RE: [malaysiafm] AP Interview: Malaysia's Indian protest movement
likely to die soon, says leader

#It was written out of context. I will struggle to the end as long as the people support our cause.

waytha moorthy



funny thing is NST took it from Deccan Chronicle who took it from AP. AP's site did not have the interview. The closest I got to was on IHT's site. 


What the NST wrote:


Hindraf chief calls it quits 


S. Retna, BERNAMA



PUTRAJAYA, Thu.:


 The self-exiled leader of the Hindu Rights Action Front (Hindraf), P. Waytha Moorthy, has conceded that the cause of the unregistered organisation is as good as lost. 






 In a sharp and surprising twist of events, Waytha Moorthy, who is chairman of Hindraf, said in an interview published in today's Deccan Chronicle, the highest-selling English language newspaper in Hyderabad in the southern Indian state of Andra Pradesh, that the movement had to close its chapter.


 "There may be a new chapter, but we may not be part of the next chapter. I know eventually we would fail," he was quoted as saying in today's edition of the newspaper.


 Hindraf created a furore in Malaysia after it held a rally in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25 and made several claims which have since been described as preposterous by most people and denied by the authorities. It also submitted a memorandum to the British High Commission here.   


 Five of those involved in organising the rally have since been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) after they were found to have touched on religious sensitivities. Waytha Moorthy left the country for India soon after the rally and subsequently turned up in the United Kingdom to drum up international support.


 The Deccan Chronicle article revealed that Waytha Moorthy is now living in the London suburb of Hounslow, where he is reportedly staying with friends.


 Conceding that Hindraf was fighting a "losing battle", Waytha Moorthy said the struggle of the organisation was likely to die soon. "We are fighting a losing battle, we know. We tried our level best but if we don't succeed we have to call it a day, isn't it ?" he told the newspaper.


This what appeared on the  Deccan Chronicle, Page 13 :








Indians' battle in Malaysia may end 




 









  


London, Jan. 2: Minority ethnic Indians are fighting a "losing battle" for equal rights in Malaysia, and their fledgling protest movement against the Muslim-dominated government is likely to die soon, a protest leader said.  Ultimately, only the government — not the people — can bring about real change by giving concessions to ethnic Indians, said Mr P. Waytha Moorthy, the chairman of the Hindu Rights Action Force group that is leading the Indian movement.


"We are fighting a losing battle, we know. We try our level best but if we don't succeed, we have to call it a day, isn't it?" Mr Moorthy said in the interview this week in the London suburb of Hounslow, where he is living with his friends in self-imposed exile. "We have to close the chapter. There may be a new chapter, but we may not be part of the next chapter," a tired-looking Mr Moorthy said during the chat at a McDonald's restaurant. "I know, eventually we will also fail." Ethnic Indians form about 8 per cent of Malaysia's people. 









And this was the The AP's Interview:


AP Interview: Malaysia's Indian protest movement likely to die soon, says leader  


 source
The Associated Press 
Published: January 2, 2008 
  


LONDON: Minority ethnic Indians are fighting a "losing battle" for equal rights in Malaysia, and their fledgling protest movement against the Muslim-dominated government is likely to die soon, a protest leader told The Associated Press.  


Ultimately, only the government — not the people — can bring about real change by giving concessions to ethnic Indians, said P. Waytha Moorthy, the chairman of the Hindu Rights Action Force group, or Hindraf, that is leading the Indian movement.  


"We are fighting a losing battle, we know. We try our level best but if we don't succeed, we have to call it a day, isn't it?" Moorthy said in the interview this week in the London suburb of Hounslow, where he is living with friends in self-imposed exile.  


"We have to close the chapter. There may be a new chapter, but we may not be part of the next chapter," a tired-looking Moorthy said during the chat at a McDonald's restaurant. "I know, eventually we will also fail."  


Ethnic Indians form about 8 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people, and complain that the government denies them opportunities in jobs, education and business. They say that years of systematic repression have kept them at the bottom of society. The government denies this and says all Malaysians have benefited from the spectacular progress of the export-driven economy since independence in 1957.  


"We want the minority Indians to be given their basic rights If they can give us two or three (real concessions), we are willing to keep our mouth shut," Moorthy said. 


"That's what I don't understand: why isn't the government conceding? We are not asking for super rights, we are asking for basic rights."  


Ethnic Indians, most of them descendants of 19th century plantation workers from southern India, also accuse the government of turning a blind eye to the destruction by local civic authorities of Hindu temples. 


Moorthy's statements are the most honest and frank assessment of the reality faced by the minority community who have little economic or political clout. Malaysia's majority Malay Muslims, who are 60 percent of the population, control the government, while the ethnic Chinese — who are a quarter of the population — dominate business.  


The Indian frustrations took public shape for the first time when Hindraf organized a massive rally on Nov. 25 of about 30,000 people in defiance of a government ban. 


Moorthy fled the country fearing arrest but five other Hindraf leaders were subsequently detained under the Internal Security Act, which allows indefinite jail without trial. They were accused of being a threat to national security but no charges have been filed.  


Moorthy said public support for Hindraf has increased after the arrests, but the movement was "stagnant" now. 


"What we can, we will still do. But if the whole struggle is going to die, what can we do?" he said. "As it stands now I don't think we can accelerate."  


He said he doesn't regret starting the movement. 


"I will never regret but I feel sorry" for those detained and "frustrated with the system, the government." 


He said his biggest worry is that when Hindraf fails, the poor and uneducated Indians will come to hate the government even more, and may resort to violence. He added he does not condone or support violence in any form.  


He said he plans to stay in London for now and continue lobbying internationally. 


"I would prefer to keep pushing, keep the people's spirit high. The safest thing to do is to conduct prayers." 

			


			

        

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