Indian Organisations Against Street Protests

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- Several Indian organisations in the country have expressed uneasiness with groups including the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) which opted for street protests to express their views.
The leaders of these organisations, when contacted by Bernama, said there were more suitable and effective channels for expression because the Malaysian government, whose leaders consisted of the various communities, was sensitive to the needs of the people and gave priority to harmony.
Malaysian Council of Tamil Youth Bell Clubs President P. Ponniah said there were many better channels for the Hindraf supporters to express their views, and that they should have opted to do so through the organisations representing Indians set up in the country.
He also said that Hindraf could have met with the country's leaders in a peaceful manner and not resort to street demonstrations which had an adverse impact on themselves and society.
Ponniah said he had met with some of those involved in the street demonstrations last Sunday and had asked them to use a more professional and effective method to voice their views.
"I asked them to exercise patience because the government will surely consider and act on the matters that we (Indians) have raised before," he said.
Last Sunday, Hindraf ignored police warnings and a court order and went ahead with an illegal gathering in the city with the aim of handing over a memorandum to the British High Commission in Jalan Ampang.
The memorandum, said to have been drafted by Hindraf legal advisor P. Uthayakumar, carried an appeal to the British government to move an emergency United Nations resolution condemning "ethnic cleansing" of Indians in Malaysia.
It also contained an appeal to refer Malaysia to the World Court and International Criminal Court for crimes against ethnic Indians.
The illegal gathering on Sunday was dispersed by the police but not before damage was caused to public property and several policemen were injured.
All-Malaysia Malayalee Association secretary Raghavan Nambiar said it was public knowledge that street demonstrations were not the best way to resolve problems.
He said the association had issued a directive to all its 14 affiliates to stay away from last Sunday's demonstration.
Malaysian Telegu Association president Dr Achaiah Kumar Rao said none of the association's members participated in the demonstration.
"Our association is involved in cultural and social activities and the Hindraf gathering touched on politics and has nothing to do with us," he said.
Meanwhile, Head of the Indian Studies Department in the Faculty of Arts and Social Science at Universiti Malaya, Prof Dr S. Kumaran, said Hindraf had its own agenda in championing the cause of the Indians but it has to be rational.
In KUCHING, the Malaysian 4B Youth Movement said it supported the use of the Internal Security Act (ISA) against people who participate in street demonstrations and disrupt harmony.
Its vice-president, Datuk Faisal Abdullah, said that based on past experience, the ISA had guaranteed harmony in the country.

tunku : street rallies/demonstration is not suitable here,you have better way to protest,the general election is coming soon,show your protest there.