State bans hindu NGOs

 

 

The escalating communal wars and segregation on the pretext of religion and the antediluvian religious dogmas have turned the world today into a more petrifying place to live in. And in that respect, the ongoing violent clashes between the communities in Malaysia is simply the latest example. Recently, the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), which comprises 30 Hindu NGOs in Malaysia, was banned by the government. This coalition of Indian NGOs was branded as a 'threat to internal security and peace' by the Malaysian government under the country’s draconian Internal Security Act, which was once used by the British to clamp down on insurgents without any legal process. Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar clarified the stand, saying: “Hindraf is clearly using religion as a tool to create disharmony between communities and between races and, therefore, been declared detrimental to peace, public order, security and moral values of Malaysia.”

What this means is that the Indian community, which is plagued with unemployment, illiteracy, delinquency and many other socio-economic disparities in Malaysia, and is working mainly as labour in plantations, rail and road constructions, has even lost its last right to protest in the Malay-Muslim dominated country. Following the ban, the situation has become so grave that both Hindraf’s activists and leaders are being trailed unnecessarily. Though initial reports stated that the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) had called for a lift on the ban, the commission later backed out, saying they did not take any official stand on the issue.

Hindraf came into spotlight after its November 25 rally last year, attended by over 20,000 people protesting against the atrocities being meted out to the minority communities. Over the years, it has become so popular that in the last general elections the organisation’s battle cry, ‘Makkal Sakthi’, which means ‘people’s power’, became a rallying call of unity for the Opposition. And today, it represents a call for transparent distribution of wealth and opportunities in a country which has natural resources in abundance and is capable of providing food and shelter to all its inhabitants. Yet, the sordid affairs of politics continue to prevail and alienate people from their basic human rights.