It's time for the federal government to lift the ban on the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), which was enforced on the unregistered organisation since last October.
Hindraf leader, P Waythamoorthy, pointed out that the release of all five Hindraf leaders from Kamunting Detention Centre was a testimony that the movement was never a threat to nation's security.
"We were never a threat in the first place. We were wrongly accused of being one," he said.
Hindraf leaders M Manoharan, P Uthayakumar and T Vasanthakumar were released together with 10 more detainees from the Kamunting Detention Camp yesterday afternoon.
Hours after taking the reins in April, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak ordered the release of two Hindraf leaders - V Ganabatirau and R Kengadharan, together with 10 other detainees.
The five were detained without trial under the draconian Internal Security Act in Dec 2007 following a mammoth Hindraf anti-government rally in Kuala Lumpur.
Hindraf then carried out numerous campaigns across the country to secure the release of their leaders.
Following Hindraf supporters “trespassing” during then Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s Hari Raya open house, the movement was banned by the government.
Najib has said that the release of the HIndraf leaders was because they were "no more a threat to the nation's security".
International passport revoked
Pointing out that Najib himself had indirectly declared Hindraf as a peace-loving organisation, Waythamoorthy argued that the movement was never a threat to anyone and the ban on it was unwarranted and a hasty decision by the govenment.
"I call upon the Prime Minister to lift the ban on Hindraf, which was unfairly and wrongly imposed in the first place," he told Malaysiakini via telephone from his London base.
Aside from the detention of the five leaders and the ban, Waythamoorthy's international passport was also revoked by the Home Ministry as part of the government strategy to cripple the movement.
Waythamoorthy is now living in United Kingdom using a temporary passport issued by the British government.
At the height of government clampdown on Hindraf, the Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan alleged that the movement had links with the Sri Lanka’s Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), seemingly trying to portray Hindraf as a terrorist group.
Waythamoorthy called on the IGP to withdraw his baseless and unsubstantiated accusation to link HIndraf with LTTE.
IGP should retract unfounded allegation
"Musa should retract his unfounded allegation. He had never proven the allegation with any proof until now since claiming Hindraf had links with LTTE," said Waythamoorthy.
The self-exiled leader also wants the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor governmernt to appoint Kota Alam Shah assemblyperson M Manoharan as a state executive councillor.
He said an exco appointment for the 58-year-old Manoharan would demonstrate Pakatan appreciation on the sacrifices made by the former ISA detainee and the movement.
"Both Manoharan, other detained leaders and Hindraf were among major factors behind Pakatan’s electoral success in the last general election.
"It's only fair and appropriate to appoint Manoharan as an executive councillor in the Pakatan government," Waythamoorthjy said.
Lawyer Manoharan won the Kota Alam Shah state seat in 2008 general election defeating Gerakan's Ching Su Chen by a 7,184-majority. He polled 12,699 votes against Ching's 5,515.
Hindraf leader, P Waythamoorthy, pointed out that the release of all five Hindraf leaders from Kamunting Detention Centre was a testimony that the movement was never a threat to nation's security.
"We were never a threat in the first place. We were wrongly accused of being one," he said.
Hindraf leaders M Manoharan, P Uthayakumar and T Vasanthakumar were released together with 10 more detainees from the Kamunting Detention Camp yesterday afternoon.
Hours after taking the reins in April, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak ordered the release of two Hindraf leaders - V Ganabatirau and R Kengadharan, together with 10 other detainees.
The five were detained without trial under the draconian Internal Security Act in Dec 2007 following a mammoth Hindraf anti-government rally in Kuala Lumpur.
Hindraf then carried out numerous campaigns across the country to secure the release of their leaders.
Following Hindraf supporters “trespassing” during then Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s Hari Raya open house, the movement was banned by the government.
Najib has said that the release of the HIndraf leaders was because they were "no more a threat to the nation's security".
International passport revoked
Pointing out that Najib himself had indirectly declared Hindraf as a peace-loving organisation, Waythamoorthy argued that the movement was never a threat to anyone and the ban on it was unwarranted and a hasty decision by the govenment.
"I call upon the Prime Minister to lift the ban on Hindraf, which was unfairly and wrongly imposed in the first place," he told Malaysiakini via telephone from his London base.Aside from the detention of the five leaders and the ban, Waythamoorthy's international passport was also revoked by the Home Ministry as part of the government strategy to cripple the movement.
Waythamoorthy is now living in United Kingdom using a temporary passport issued by the British government.
At the height of government clampdown on Hindraf, the Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan alleged that the movement had links with the Sri Lanka’s Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), seemingly trying to portray Hindraf as a terrorist group.
Waythamoorthy called on the IGP to withdraw his baseless and unsubstantiated accusation to link HIndraf with LTTE.
IGP should retract unfounded allegation
"Musa should retract his unfounded allegation. He had never proven the allegation with any proof until now since claiming Hindraf had links with LTTE," said Waythamoorthy.
The self-exiled leader also wants the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor governmernt to appoint Kota Alam Shah assemblyperson M Manoharan as a state executive councillor.
He said an exco appointment for the 58-year-old Manoharan would demonstrate Pakatan appreciation on the sacrifices made by the former ISA detainee and the movement.
"Both Manoharan, other detained leaders and Hindraf were among major factors behind Pakatan’s electoral success in the last general election.
"It's only fair and appropriate to appoint Manoharan as an executive councillor in the Pakatan government," Waythamoorthjy said.
Lawyer Manoharan won the Kota Alam Shah state seat in 2008 general election defeating Gerakan's Ching Su Chen by a 7,184-majority. He polled 12,699 votes against Ching's 5,515.
No comments:
Post a Comment