Five ISA detainees launch hunger strike to protest unjust imprisonment...

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Media Statement
by M.Kula Segaran
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(Ipoh, Saturday): As their lawyer, after 3.30pm on January 4th, 2008 I visited the five leaders of Hindraf detained without trial at the Kamunting detention center.

Their spirit was high and they were determining to fight the unjust detention without trial.

They will launch a hunger strike for five days from January 20 and strongly urged Malaysians especially Malaysian Indians to join them in the fast to protest unlawful detention without just cause and proper and fair trial which is a serious violation of fundamental human liberties.

The five leaders informed me they totally reject the reasons given to detain them as simplistic, frivolous and vexatious.

They said their detention is to stop them from leading and organising the Indian community to ask for their just and fair rights under the Malaysian constitution and as equal citizens of Malaysia.

It is Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi who as Internal Security Minister is the prime mover behind the arrest without trial.

The five leaders further reiterated that if anything untoward happens to any one of them they and the Indian community will hold the Prime Minister personally responsible.

They also seek divine intervention and hope good sense and justice will prevail.

They strongly argue that their detention without trial is in total contravention of the 1948 UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights of which Malaysia is a signatory.

Under this and other UN human rights conventions Malaysia has given a solemn undertaking to uphold human dignity, respect fundamental liberties and promote justice and fairness.

Malaysia signed to respect basic rights agreeing that all human beings are born free and equal. And further everyone is entitled to the same rights without discrimination of any kind and everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security.

Malaysia also promised no one shall be subjected to torture or cruel or degrading treatment or punishment and everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection of the law.

Further the conventions guarantees everyone has the right to justice and no one shall be arrested, detained, or exiled arbitrarily. Everyone has the right to a fair trial and presumed innocent until proven guilty

Malaysia has violated every one of the articles of the 1948 UN Convention. It must immediately release the five leaders UN conditionally or charge them in a proper court of law and produce the evidence they are unfairly accused off.

(05/01/2008)