Thursday, June 23, 2011

Hindraf wants international observers at Bersih rally


From P Waythamoorthy, Hindraf chairman, via e-mail
I write to you with the utmost urgency for your attention on the above matter.

Bersih is a coalition of NGOs’ that advocate free and fair elections and intend to march peacefully with the public in Malaysia on July 9, 2011 in line with the fundamental rights contained in the Malaysian Federal constitution under Article 10.

The purpose of the march is to express the collective desire of the Malaysian people for a free and fair election in the forthcoming general election.

Perkasa is a Malaysian NGO and is a tool used by the Umno led Malaysian government in extending its ugly hands into politically extreme policies topped up by fear inducing methods to ensure that whatever is sacred in the Federal Constitution for the good of the multi-ethnic polity is compromised through this fear and state sanctioned threats from a seemingly independent organisation, Perkasa.

Malaysiakini, one of the few independent online news portals reported on June 19, 2011 quoting Perkasa, as saying: “Imagine, ladies and gentlemen, if the Bersih rally is not called off and they go ahead with it – if they don’t cancel it on July 8 or 9 – I believe the Chinese community, many of them, will have to stock up on food at home.”Anything can happen on that day”

On June 13, Malaysiakini quoted Perkasa chief as saying said they are ready to “fight to the end” (lawan habis-habisan) to stop the rally if the organisers insist on taking to the streets of Kuala Lumpur on July 9. “(If they proceed) there will be a clash (pertembungan). If that happens, it is for the better,” he told a press conference in the Parliament lobby.”

The insinuations above falls short of an orchestrated attempt to riot or to promote some form of violent action by Umno sponsored Perkasa against the public for their participating in this peaceful march on July 9, 2011 just for free and fair elections.

The fear of the Malaysian community is real and should not be underestimated or downplayed at this crucial moment as state sponsored gangsters Perkasa and its allies PEKIDA (another organization of ex-police and army personnel) & 3 Line ( a known large street gang) blatantly come forward in this aggressive and belligerent manner against what is a natural and legitimate grievance of the people. This march is nothing other than an expression of a collective voice of Malaysians.

The international community whilst accepting Malaysia as a member of the United Nations cannot sit in silence when such threats and fear mongering methods are pursued by fascist elements in the ruling party with the implicit sanction of the Umno led government.

Your public statement in opposing this tendency of state sponsored violence against its people is of paramount significance as it is a fundamental human rights issue and not just political theatre. The minorities, marginalized and discriminated face these kind of human rights abuse daily through the racist and fascist agenda of the Malaysian government..

I write to urge you to make urgent representations to the Malaysian government that the Bersih rally should be allowed to proceed unhindered and the peaceful protesters be provided protection from any untoward violent reactions by the state sponsored Perkasa, PEKIDA and other fringe elements.

[This letter was sent to William J.Burns, Under Secretary for Political Affairs in the US State Department; William Hague MP, UK Foreign Secretary; Heidi Hautala, the Chair of the Human Rights Sub Committee, European Parliament; Richard Ottaway MP, Navanethem Pillay, High Commissioner for Human Rights; Githu Muigai, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; Margaret Sekaggya, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Gay McDougall, Independent Expert on Minority Issues; Frank La Rue, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Gabriella Habtom, Human Rights Officer and Secretary of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; Frank William La Rue, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Amnesty International; Human Rights Watch; Minority Rights Group International; Front Line; OSCE Secretariat; NAACP and European Union External Action Service.] - FMT

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