Tear gas scatters Malaysian 'flower power' protest
Reuters (16/2/2008): Malaysian police used water cannon and tear gas on Saturday to break up an anti-government protest by ethnic Indians carrying roses to symbolise a peaceful demand for justice.
With the Malaysian government concerned about street protests in the run-up to early general elections on March 8, around 100 policemen, including riot police with helmets and shields, turned out to disperse a gathering of about 300 men, women and children.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's ruling coalition is widely expected to retain power at the polls, although with a reduced majority, but many Indians accuse his multi-racial coalition, dominated by ethnic Malays, of racial discrimination.
The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hinraf) first announced the protest in January as a way to press its demand for the release of five of its leaders jailed under tough internal security laws.
The Malaysian government detained the men without trial soon after more than 10,000 ethnic Indians marched in the capital last November to complain about a lack of job and education opportunities, in response to a call from the group.
"I want the five to be released," said Parvathy Raman, a 30-year-old accounts executive from Kuala Lumpur, who joined the protest. "I want the government to hear our problems. Everyone knows there is discrimination, but the government denies it."
Children as young as 10 were among the demonstrators at Saturday's protest, where some people carried yellow and red roses, while chanting slogans such as "We love Badawi". Others wore orange T-shirts printed with the slogan "People Power".
The protesters aimed to march to the Malaysian parliament to give the roses to Abdullah, but were halted by police a short distance away after being refused a permit to assemble in public.
The red roses symbolised love and peace, while the yellow roses symbolised the group's demand for justice and the release of the jailed men, Hindraf said.
"We want our rights and justice," said one demonstrator, Tamilarasu, 21, a casual labourer at a golf resort who rode a bus for several hours from his home on the northern island of Penang to attend the protest in the capital. "We're not happy with the government."
Police helicopters hovered overhead as protesters waved the Malaysian flag, portraits of the Malaysian king, and orange banners that read, "We want our rights, No to the Internal Security Act".
Protesters defied police orders to disperse, but scattered when sprayed with tear gas and water laced with chemicals.
"Police were too rough," said S. Manikavasagam, a spokesman for the ethnic Indian group that organised the protest. "They used their power."
He said police had arrested 20 protesters, but police officials at the site could not confirm the figure.
Malaysia police fire teargas at flower protest: witnesses
AFP (16/2/2008): Malaysian police Saturday fired teargas and water cannons to disperse ethnic Indians clutching flowers and gathered in the capital, in the latest crackdown on public protests, witnesses said.
Some 300 people defied a police ban and attempted to gather in Independence Square in downtown Kuala Lumpur to protest alleged discrimination, before police moved in, an AFP correspondent witnessed.
"It is an embarrassing attack on the Indian community and on people who just wanted to hand over flowers to the prime minister," said R. Thanenthiran, one of the rally organisers.
The flower protest is the latest in a series of demonstrations in recent that have rocked the multicultural nation, which is now gearing up for general elections on March 8.
More than 20 people were detained, police said, after supporters of Indian rights group Hindraf turned up near Dataran Merdeka or Independence Square. Police had earlier refused a permit for the gathering.
Indian youths dressed in saffron coloured t-shirts with the Tamil words "Makkal Sakti", or People's Power, chanted slogans calling for justice and an end to alleged discrimination against ethnic Indians in the country.
More than 200 police approached the crowd before spraying them with water cannons and firing tear gas shells above their heads, the AFP correspondent witnessed.
"We wanted to have 200 children also peacefully give Abdullah flowers but we were tear-gassed and water-cannoned by police," Thanenthiran said, referring to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Thanenthiran said organisers decided it was unsafe for the children to take part in the protest and they were bused away from the scene.
"We came with a gesture of peace and love and the Malaysian government did not have the courage to accept the roses," Hindraf chairman P. Waythamoorthy told AFP. Prime minister Abdullah had not indicated before the protest that he would accept the flowers.
The protest comes after the detention of five Hindraf leaders who enraged the government in November by leading a mass rally protesting alleged discrimination against minority Indians.
The protest highlighted the grievances of Malaysia's Indians -- descendents of labourers brought over by British colonial rulers in the 1800s -- who say they are marginalised in terms of education, wealth and opportunities.
Abdullah has said that street protests and anger within the Indian community could have an impact on how the government fares in the general elections.
Abdullah is head of the United Malays National Organisation-led coalition government of race-based parties that have ruled Malaysia since it gained its independence from British rule in 1957.
Although Abdullah's party is expected to win the March election, analysts say a slew of issues including rising prices, corruption and religious as well as racial tensions could cut the government's majority in parliament.
Ethnic Indians make up 7 percent of Malaysia's 27 million population with Malay Muslims forming 60 percent and ethnic Chinese at 26 percent.
Malaysian police break up protest
BBC (16/2/2008): Malaysian security forces have used tear gas and water cannon to break up a protest by ethnic Indians in the capital, Kuala Lumpur.
More than 20 people taking part in the banned march were detained by police.
The demonstration was organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force, which is demanding the release from jail of five of its leaders.
Activists say policies granting economic advantages to the ethnic Malay majority discriminate against Indians.
The Malaysia government has rejected claims of unequal treatment.
Detention without trial
Some 2000 protesters defied a ban on public gatherings, and carried roses to symbolise what they said was a peaceful demand for justice.
A heavy police presence kept them in the city centre - preventing their planned march to parliament to give the flowers to the Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi.
The protest was meant to be led by a group of about 200 children. There were no reports of any children being injured.
Police used water canons thought to be laced with chemicals and tear gas to disperse the crowd.
The group behind the demonstration has become increasingly effective at rattling the government, says the BBC's Robin Brant in Kuala Lumpur.
It was behind a large demonstration on the streets of the capital last November which saw 10,000 people gather.
That rally exposed increasing unhappiness among some of Malaysia's minority Indians who feel they have fallen behind after decades of government policy which gives preferential treatment to the majority Malays, our correspondent says.
Five rights activists were arrested at that rally - the biggest protest involving ethnic Indians in more than a decade.
They are being held under a rarely used security law that allows indefinite detention without trial.
Hindu protest broken up in Malaysia
Al Jazeera (16/2/2008): In the run up to elections any gathering of more than four people requires a police
Police in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur have used tear gas and chemical-laced water to break up an anti-government protest by ethnic Indians demanding racial equality.
On Saturday about 300 men, women and children were dispersed by about 100 policemen, including riot police with helmets and shields.
"Police were too rough" said S Manikavasagam, a spokesman for the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), the ethnic indian group that organised the protest.
"They used their power," he said.
Since Friday about 60 people, including two leaders of Hindraf who organised the protest, have been detained in a police crackdown, said N Surendran, a lawyer and Hindraf member.
Protesters were carrying roses to symbolise a peaceful demand for justice.
The Malaysian government is concerned about street protests in the run up to early general elections on March 8 and any gathering of more than four people requires a police permit.
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the Malaysian prime minister, is widely expected to retain power at the polls with his ruling party coalition, but with a reduced majority.
Many Indians accuse his multi-racial coalition, which is dominated by ethnic Malays, of racial discrimination.
Police crackdown
Hinraf first announced the protest in January to press the government to release five of its leaders who have been jailed under tough internal security laws.
The men were detained without trial after more 10,000 ethnic Indians marched in the capital last November to complain about a lack of job and education opportunities.
The protesters on Saturday planned to gather outside parliament to hand a protest note and roses to Abdullah, but they were halted by police a short distance away.
"I want the five to be released," Parvathy Raman, a 30-year-old accounts executive from Kuala Lumpur, said.
"I want the government to hear our problems. Everyone knows there is discrimination, but the government denies it."
Hindraf said the red roses symbolised love and peace, while the yellow roses symbolised the group's demand for justice and the release of the jailed men.
Protesters defied police orders to disperse, but scattered when sprayed with tear gas and water laced with chemicals.
Ethnic Indians Rally in Malaysia Demanding Rights, Defy Police
Bloomberg (16/2/2008): About 200 Malaysian ethnic Indians defied a police order and rallied in the capital today demanding equal rights and the release of supporters held without trial as tensions rise three weeks before the country holds elections.
Carrying banners and roses, members of the Hindu Rights Action Force, or Hindraf, gathered near the city hall in Kuala Lumpur at 9 a.m. local time. Fifteen minutes later police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the group and arrested dozens of participants.
Hindraf, which is holding its second rally in three months, is demanding an end to alleged racial discrimination in a country where the government gives the ethnic Malay majority preferential treatment for jobs and homes. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has struggled to contain racial tension in his first term, and is targeting a smaller parliamentary majority at the March 8 ballot.
Authorities on Dec. 12 arrested five members of the group under the Internal Security Act, a law that allows for indefinite detention without trial. The order was signed by Abdullah.
``While the yellow roses are a symbol of our cry for justice, we seek the immediate release of Hindraf's five leaders,'' the group said in a statement before today's rally. ``We are going to Parliament as it is a symbol of justice.''
Use of Force
Today's peaceful rally follows a demonstration by the group on Nov. 25 last year, when about 10,000 Malaysian ethnic Indians gathered to demand equal rights. Human Rights Watch has asked Malaysia to investigate the ``unwarranted'' use of force by police at public rallies.
``We just want to hand over the flowers to the prime minister,'' said R. Thusimala, who attended the rally. ``I don't understand why the police are looking at us as a threat.''
Indians account for less than 10 percent of Malaysia's population of 27 million people. Ethnic Chinese make up about 20 percent and ethnic Malays about 60 percent.
Public demonstrations by racial groups are rare in Malaysia, where Abdullah's ruling coalition includes Indian, Chinese and Malay parties. Still, the premier has faced protests since September last year, from lawyers demanding an independent judiciary to groups seeking free and fair elections.
