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Extracted from Malaysiakini
Indigenous
activists rounded up in M-Day swoop
Andrew Ong |
Sep 16,
There was no
Malaysia Day cheer for a group of 15 individuals who were arrested in Kuching
while attempting to hand a petition to Chief Minister Taib Mahmud over the
displacement of indigenous people.
They were picked up in
front of the Wisma Bapa
Sarawak Conservation Action Network (Scane) spokesperson Phillip Jaw, who was
among those arrested, expressed disappointment with the police actions.
He said among those arrested were indigenous people residing in the remote
areas of Murum and Baram - where hydroelectric dams will be constructed and
thus displacing tens of thousands of people.
"Some of us travelled for two days just to be here and hand the petition
stating our concerns over the dams. We are disappointed, sad and unhappy that
our voices are not heard," said Jaw.
According to Pandungan state rep Dominique Ng (right), who was also arrested, the
group started gathering at about
Police moved in at about
"For Sarawakians, Sept 16 is the day we celebrate our independence. But
today, it seems the people's voices are being stifled while we seem to be
descending into a police state," Ng told Malaysiakini.
Masing:
They refused police order to disperse
Ng said those
arrested did not breach the law but were merely exercising their democratic
rights in voicing their grievances to the government.
"The government is refusing to even listen despite Prime Minister Najib's
1Malaysia rakyat diutamakan
(people first) campaign and all. In our case, it is rakyat diabaikan dan diseksa (ignored and
suffering)," he said.
"They
were arrested for illegal assembly after they refused a police order to
disperse," said Sarawak Rural Development Minister James Masing.
"That's the law of the land. I believe they will be released soon,"
he told
Another
detainee Raymond Abin, an activist with Borneo Resources Institute Sarawak
(Brimas), said the arrest was regrettable, especially on a day as significant
as Malaysia Day.
“People came from afar to have their voices heard. There is no other way for
them to express themselves other than through a petition,” lamented Raymond.
According to lawyer Harrison Ngau, the 15 individuals must face charges in
court for illegal assembly under Section 27 (5) of the Police Act on Sept 29.
Repeated telephone calls to Kuching district police chief
Petition
falling on deaf ears
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Orang Asal Network (Joas) has condemned the arrest of
the 15 individuals and for failing to listen to the grievances of the affected
groups.
“We also condemn the use of arrest to intimidate and silence the voices of the
communities who are questioning the construction of large dams on the area.
“This demonstrates the unwillingness of the state government to ensure the full
and effective participation of indigenous peoples in projects that affect
them,” said Joas president
According to Lasimbang, petition had states that the state government decided
to build hydro electric dams in the two areas without consulting the affected
communities and without any regard to the status of the native lands involved.
“The actions of the state government are in clear contradiction to the UN
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which
