Hindraf appeals to Manmohan Singh to take up plight of Malaysian ethnic Indians (Press Trust of India)

London, Oct 20 (PTI) Ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’’s visit to Malaysia, the leader of a prominent Hindu rights group today appealed to him to take up the issue of "serious human rights violations" of the ethnic community with his Malaysian counterpart.

"We would like to make an appeal to him to raise with his counterpart, the Prime Minister of Malaysia (Najib Razak), issues relating to the serious Human Rights violations of the Indian Malaysians," Chairman of Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force) P Waytha Moorthy said in a statement here.

Singh is due to visit Malaysia beginning October 26. "Inspite of our continuous and vocal representative to the Government of Malaysia on the serious Human Rights violations these issues are not getting tangible policy responses," Moorthy said.

There is a distinct and serious socio-economic problem with the Indian community in Malaysia and all socio economic indicators clearly show this, a growing underclass, stagnant share of wealth in the country, increasing involvement in crime of Indian adolescents, he added.

"We make this appeal to the PM of India on the basis of the historical and cultural affinity between the Indian communities here and the people of India," he said.
Hindraf appeals to Singh to take up plight of ethnic Indians
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Will the Indian PM raise the issues of Human Rights violation against the minority Indians in Malaysia.

Dr,Manmohan Singh is due to visit Malaysia beginning the 26th of October. We, from Hindraf and the Human Rights Party, our political wing welcome him warmly to Malaysia.

As he makes this visit, we would like to make an appeal to him to raise with his counterpart, the Prime minister of Malaysia, issues relating to the serious Human Rights violations of the Indian Malaysians. We have presented Dr.Singh with our 2009 Report on Human Rights and Minorities Rights Violation in New Delhi at the time of Pravasi Conference in January 2010.

In spite of our continuous and vocal representation to the Government of Malaysia on the serious Human Rights violation these issues are not getting tangible policy responses. There is a distinct and serious socio-economic problem with the Indian community in Malaysia. All socio-economic indicators clearly show this – a growing underclass, stagnant share of wealth of the country, increasing involvement in crime of Indian adolescents, staggering statelessness among the Indian poor estimated to be more than 300,000 people, shrinking educational opportunities, shortest life spans among the 3 major ethnic groups, dropping educational performance, significant underemployment and a significant section of the Indian community needs rehabilitation due to the effects of the mass push-out from the plantations to the urban centers without any state adjustment programs in the last 30 years.

We make this appeal to the PM of India on the basis of the historical and cultural affinity between the Indian communities here in Malaysia and the people of India.

Just as during the Indian national freedom movement a significant section of the Indians in Malaya took on a spontaneous and highly charged role in the Indian National Army. They gave money, their life savings, their jewels and many, their lives in the construction of the ill-fated Siam railway. The Indians here saw a moral and compulsive responsibility. Now we urge the same kind of response back from the Government of India to the people of Indian origin here in Malaysia.

In the context of a modern and growing India, India wields significant influence in the region and in Malaysia. We urge the Indian Prime Minister, by raising these issues with his counterpart, to contribute to an improvement to the lives of the 2 million Indians in Malaysia. Out of these actions based on a moral responsibility, India will be seen to be more than just India Inc. We certainly believe that India can play this role without violating any of the norms and intricacies of International diplomacy.

P.Waytha Moorthy

Chairman

HINDRAF

20.10.2010