Ethnic Indians Protest Discrimination

By Kristy Tridhavee
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysian police broke up a protest by 8,000 ethnic Indians in Kula Lumpur with tear gas. The police used the tear gas to stop the protesters from reaching the British High Commission (embassy). Tensions increased when many protesters threw the tear gas canisters back at the police officers. Some witnesses reported that police beat protesters with batons and dragged into trucks. The Hindu Rights Action Force said the police arrested about 400 protesters and 19 were injured. However, the police reported only 100 persons were detained.  Photo at AFP

The Malaysian government refused a permit for the rally because it feared it would spark violence and security problems. Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, minister in the prime minister's department, supported the use of tear gas and force. He commented, “This protest is illegal. The police have been given permission to use legitimate means to halt the gathering. And this means the use of tear gas and water cannons.”

The ethnic Indians allege in their lawsuit that the British government, Malaysia’s former colonial ruler, brought their ancestors to Malaysia 200 hundred years ago as indentured laborers. In addition, the protesters allege that the British government negligently caused ethnic Indians to remain economically disadvantaged because the rights of the Indian Community were not incorporated, resulting in discrimination and marginalization for the last 200 hundred years. The protest was to deliver a memorandum demanding Queen Elizabeth to appoint counsel in the class action case.

The lawsuit is aimed to highlight the discrimination faced by Indians in the country. Ethnic Indians make up about eight percent of the population. About two-thirds live in poverty. The protesters allege that their plight is a result of the affirmative action policies that favor the Malay Muslim majority. Malay Muslims make up about sixty percent of the Malaysian population.  

On Friday, three ethnic Indian activists were arrested and charged with violating the Sedition Act. The government denied that the arrests were attempts to stop the rally. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said, “They are deemed to have gone against the Sedition Act and we had to take action. We are not drumming up charges against them. For some time now, these three people have been getting carried away saying things that are against the law." Two activists were released on bail and another refused to post bail in gesture of defiance.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Malaysian Police Tear Gas Ethnic Indian Rally: Witnesses – 25 November 2007

International Herald Tribune - Malaysia Brings Sedition Charges Against Planners of Banned Rally for Indians – 23 November 2007

International Herald Tribune - Malaysia's Leaders Warn Ethnic Indian Minority Not to Join Banned Rally – 24 November 2007

Times of India – Ethnic Indians Protest in Malaysia – 25 November 2007