2007 HINDRAF rally

The 2007 HINDRAF rally was a rally held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 25, 2007. The rally organizer, the Hindu Rights Action Force, had called the protest over alleged discriminatory policies which favour ethnic Malays. The rally was the second such street protest after the 2007 Bersih rally in Kuala Lumpur on November 10, 2007.

The rally started when a crowd estimated to be between 5,000 to 30,000 [ [http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/75250 "30,000 Hindraf protesters rally in KL streets"] , Malaysiakini.com, November 25, 2007.] people gathered outside the Petronas Twin Towers at midnight, early Sunday morning.

At least 240 people were detained, but half of them were later released.

Background

On August 31, 2007, the 50th anniversary of Malaysia's independence, P. Waytha Moorthy, a HINDRAF lawyer filed a class action suit against the United Kingdom in the Court of Britain for "withdrawing after granting independence and leaving us (Indians) unprotected and at the mercy of a majority Malay-Muslim government that has violated our rights as minority Indians". [ [http://www.policewatchmalaysia.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1188457297&archive=&start_from=&ucat=9&] Particulars of Claim.] The lawsuit is not only claiming 4 trillion British Pounds as compensation, it is also seeking to strike out Article 153 of the Malaysian Constitution which acknowledges Malay Supremacy and for the court to declare that Malaysia is a secular state and not an Islamic state [ [http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=39221] Inter Press Service news report.] as declared by former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad who is partly Indian himself.

The purpose of the rally was to hand over a 100,000 signature memorandum to the British Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. The memorandum was to petition Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom to appoint the Queen's Counsel to represent poor Malaysian Indians.

HINDRAF organized the rally on Sunday, November 25, 2007 to submit the petition at the British High Commission. Malaysian police refused to grant a permit for the rally [ [http://www5.malaysiakini.com/news/75027 Malaysiakini (needs subscription)] ] , and set up roadblocks in Klang Valley along roads leading up to the rally to screen motorists entering the city center and identify "troublemakers". [ [http://www.detikdaily.net/m3/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1204 Detikdaily - Hindraf rally: Arrests, roadblocks will make it worse ] ] They also advised the public not to participate in the rally [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRxMhk9cD40 Hindraf rally: Cops warn of 'stern action'] ] , and arrested three leaders of HINDRAF. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEIE3N_DvXA Another Hindraf lawyer arrested] ] . Many shops around Kuala Lumpur including Suria KLCC were closed on that day in fear of trouble from the rally.

One day before the rally, police arrested three HINDRAF lawyers, P. Uthayakumar, P. Waytha Moorthy and V. Ganabatirau for sedition charges. Uthayakumar and Ganabatirau posted bail of 800 Malaysian ringgits each, but Waytha Moorthy refused bail as a sign of protest. [ [http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=54188] Daily Express, East Malaysia Independent Newspaper] [ [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=6&art_id=57494&sid=16446487&con_type=1&d_str=20071124&fc=10] The Standard - Hong Kong's First Free Newspaper] [ [http://www.indianmalaysian.com/sound/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=777] iMOL, Indian Malaysian Online]

The rally

On the morning of the rally, about twenty thousand people gathered near the Petronas Twin Towers, a symbol of modern Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, carrying life-size portraits of Queen Elizabeth II and Mahatma Gandhi, to indicate the nonviolent nature of their protest. [http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1687973,00.html Time] ] Five thousand members riot police dispatched to the scene used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowds. 136 people were arrested. [ [http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/11/26/nation/19575394&sec=nation Cops forced to use tear gas, water cannons] ]

References

* [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5ghlmMmVSzOBxkHbZh5sJYL0kdODA "Malaysian police tear gas ethnic Indian rally: witnesses"] , Agence France-Presse, November 25, 2007.
* [http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article3196266.ece "Ethnic Indian protesters clash with Malaysian police"] , The Independent, November 26, 2007.

Notes

ee also

* 2007 Bersih rally, a similarly large gathering in Kuala Lumpur occurring two weeks before the HINDRAF rally.