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10,000 Indians take to streets in Malaysia
Anti-racism protestors face tear gas, 400 held
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia’s ethnic Indian community staged its biggest
anti-government street protest on Sunday when more than 10,000
protesters defied tear gas and water cannons to complain against racial
discrimination.
The sheer size of the protest, called by a Hindu rights group,
represents a political challenge for the government as it heads toward
possible early elections.
Ethnic Indians from around the country swarmed into Kuala Lumpur for the
rally, despite a virtual lock-down of the capital over the previous
three days and warnings from police and the government against taking
part.
“Malaysian Indians have never gathered in such large numbers in this
way,” said organiser P Uthaya Kumar, of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).
“They are frustrated and have no job opportunities in the government or
the private sector. They are not given business licences or places in
university,” he said, adding that Indians were also incensed by some
recent demolitions of Hindu temples.
Ostensibly, Sunday’s protesters wanted to hand over to the British
embassy a petition in support of a legal claim by Hindraf for
reparations from Britain for colonial-era abuses. But Hindraf said the
protest was also aimed at the Malaysian government.
“We are here for our rights,” a protester said as he sat on the road.
Organisers said 400 people had been arrested and 19 injured. Police said
they had no figures. At least one policeman was injured by protesters, a
police officer said.
Riot police fired at the protesters with tear gas and water laced with
an eye-stinging chemical, but it took more than five hours to clear
downtown Kuala Lumpur.
It was the second crackdown this month on a demonstration critical of
the government, as speculation grows that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi will call snap polls early next year.
Veteran journalists and analysts could not recall a bigger
anti-government protest by ethnic Indians, who make up about 7% of the
population.
Political columnist Zainon Ahmad said the protest would shake the Indian
community’s establishment party, the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), a
junior member of the ruling coalition.
But MIC leader S Samy Vellu, who is also a minister, said, “We represent
the Indian community and will remain so.” However, he has voiced unease
over a temple demolition.
Deputy prime minister Najib Razak said police acted against the
protesters to protect the country’s stability. “We did not want the
matter to turn into a racial issue or to be exploited by anyone as a
racial issue,” he said.
28 November, 2007
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