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Videos on Hindraf Rally First Anniversary at Batu Caves (Part 1)

Videos on Hindraf Rally First Anniversary at Batu Caves (Part 2)

news from Malaysiakini

Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) supporters gathered at temples in Selangor and Penang to commemorate the first anniversary of the Nov 25 mass street protest.

MCPX

Despite that the movement is outlawed, police presence at the locations were minimal with hardly any uniformed personnel around. No untoward incidents were reported.

At the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Batu Caves, Selangor, some 500 Hindraf supporters braved the rain to attend the special prayer ceremony.

The prayers began on a low key at about 7pm but the enthusiasm grew as the crowd scaled the 272 steps of the temple.

With oil lamps in hand, the crowd chanted ‘Makkal Sakti Valga’ (long live people’s power) as they climbed the steps.

About 30 minutes later, the crowd descended and there were impromptu speeches from several politicians and leaders associated with Hindraf.

Again, the crowd chanted ‘Makkal Sakti Valga’ and the temperature went up several notches when those present chanted ‘Hindraf Valga’ (long live Hindraf) and ‘Uthaya Valga’ (long live P Uthayakumar) punctuated with cheers and rapturous applause.

“Hindraf is alive!” declared PKR’s Kapar MP and former Hindraf activist S Manikavasagam to frenzied cheers.

Other speakers included Selangor state exco member Dr Xavier Jeyakumar, Teluk Intan MP M Manogaran and Police Watch and Human Rights Committee coordinator S Jayathas.

The crowd dispersed at about 9.30pm.

Registered in the UK

Speaking to reporters later, Jayathas said holding the prayers at the Batu Caves temple was significant because it was the site which witnessed the first crackdown by the authorities on Hindraf supporters.

During the Nov 25 rally last year, police fired tear gas and water cannons at Hindraf supporters trapped inside the temple compound during the wee hours of the morning.

“A temple is a place where Hindus seek protection. But (during the rally last year), Indians in this temple were shot with tear gas, water cannons and some of them were charged with attempted murder (of a policeman),” said Jayathas.

“Since Hindraf’s inception until today, the people can judge us. We have sent flowers, cakes and letters (to the authorities). Is this the work of a terrorist (movement)?” he asked.

Manikavasagam, on the other hand, clarified that Hindraf was a registered body in the United Kingdom and therefore was technically still “alive”.

“Even with the ban (imposed on the movement by the Malaysian government recently), we will continue our struggle so that our 18 demands are met,” he said in reference to Hindraf’s 18-point memorandum to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi last year.

Declare public holiday

Meanwhile in Penang, some 1,000 people converged at Butterworth’s Sri Maha Mariamman Alayam for a special prayer session.

The function started at 7pm with Penang Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy and Hindraf coordinator RS Thanenthiran leading the crowd on a 500-metre ‘agal vilaku’ (oil lamp) march to the temple from the main road.

State executive councillors Lim Hock Seng and Phee Boon Poh were also present to lend support.

Addressing the crowd later, Ramasamy described Nov 25 as the day Indians in Malaysia experienced a political awakening.

“It was an uprising against 50 years of marginalisation and racial discrimination,” he said.

According to the DAP leader, if the opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat seized control of the federal government, it would declare Nov 25 a public holiday.

Ramasamy said he would table a proposal at the state executive council to have Nov 25 gazetted as a state holiday in Penang starting next year.

Following last year’s rally which saw some 30,000 people taking to the streets in Kuala Lumpur, the police detained five Hindraf leaders under the Internal Security Act, which provides for detention without trial.

The five are Uthayakumar, R Kengadharan, T Vasantha Kumar, M Manoharan and V Ganabatirau.

The government subsequently banned the movement and deemed Hindraf an illegal organisation.