Freedom for Malaysian human rights activists
Three human rights activists were released in Malaysia on May 9, 2009.
Uthayakumar Ponnusamy, Manoharan Malayalam and T Vasanthakumar belong to Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF), a group dedicated to defending the rights of ethnic Indian Malaysians, a minority at risk of human rights violations, including deaths in custody.
In 2007, the Malaysian government demolished a number of Hindu temples to make way for development projects, despite petitions by local Hindu communities.
HINDRAF organized a series of meetings and rallies, culminating in a protest demonstration of some 20,000 people in Kuala Lumpur on November 25, 2007. The protestors planned to hand a petition to the British High Commission about grievances after the colonial period. The police responded with water cannons, tear gas and baton charges. Many people were injured. The three activists just released were among five HINDRAF leaders who were arrested and detained for organizing protest rallies without a permit. Amnesty International considered them to be prisoners of conscience.
"Freedom is incredible," Uthayakumar told the crowd that greeted him as he came out of prison. "The feeling overwhelms... [Detention] has only made me more determined and more resolved to continue fighting for oppressed and marginalised Indians".
Amnesty International in Canada has a special link with the Hindu Rights Action Force. In recent years, we have stepped up our campaigning on the rights of ethnic Indian Malaysians. Face-to-face meetings have been held in Malaysia between HINDRAF leaders and Margaret John (Malaysia coordinator for our Branch), Tom Morris (former public awareness coordinator at our National Office), officers from the Canadian High Commission and staff from Amnesty's International Secretariat.
For further information, please contact Margaret John, Coordinator for Singapore and Malaysia, at malaysiasingaporecoordinator@amnesty.ca
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