 Support
Malaysian hunger strikers Dear Friends,
18 Apr 2002, Please take action
today to protest the Internal Security Act (ISA) in Malaysia. At this moment six
people detained under the ISA, including Tian Chua, the longtime labor rights
activist who was director of the Labour Resource Centre, are on a hunger strike
to protest their continued incarceration without trial. Their hunger strike began
on April 10th -- the one year anniversary of their imprisonment. We are very concerned
about the well-being of the six detainees as they are now on a full hunger strike.
Therefore we urge you to take the time to follow up on this request for action
today. Send the Malaysian government a letter demanding their release today! Addresses
follow at the end of this appeal. Also contact the Malaysian embassies in your
countries. Mention in your letters that yesterday the British Parliament passed
a resolution calling for the release of the hunger strikers and the abolishment
of the ISA. For more information on the ISA please see the website of
Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) the non-governmental Malaysian human rights organisation
working for a free, equal, just and sustainable society. SUARAM is running a campaign
to abolish the ISA. Their web address is http://www.suaram.org/isa/info_can_do.htm
 On
April 10, 2002 Dutch activists protested in front of Malaysian Airlines in Amsterdam,
demanding that the state-owned airline pressure the Malaysian government to repeal
the Internal Security Act (ISA) and release those detained under the act. Their
action coincided with a hunger strike by six detainees, who are protesting their
incarceration for one year under the ISA. The Amsterdam action also coincided
with a visit by a delegation of Malaysian activists who are in the Netherlands
to raise awareness of the ISA and the plight of Malaysian political prisoners.
Members of the Clean Clothes Campaign international secretariat participated in
the action. | source: SUARAM ABOLISH DETENTION WITHOUT
TRAIL -- ABOLISH THE ISA Six Kamunting detention camp detainees held
under the Internal Security Act are on a hunger strike in protest of their continued
incarceration without trial. The six are Parti Keadilan Nasdional Youth
chief Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, vice-president Chua Tian Chang, party Johor Youth
chief Lokman Noor Adam, former Jemaah ISLAH Malaysia president Shaari Sungip,
activist Hishamuddin Rais, former lecturer Dr Badrul Amin Baharom. The
six made the following demands: - they be released immediately
or brought to trial to face allegations made against them;
- that Anwar
Ibrahim, former Deputy Prime Minister and Amnesty International prisoner of conscience,
be permitted to undergo the required surgery as provided under the law, the right
to which has been acknowledged by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM)
in its recent report.
Demands: - the immediate release
of all those detained without conditions
- express your gravest concern
over their well-being (there are reports that detainees have suffered various
forms of torture)
- Condemn the use of ISA and call for the Government to
repeal the ISA immediately
- Condemn the abuse and disrespect of the right
to assemble peaceably
- Call on the Malaysian Human Rights Commission to
intervene and restore democracy and human rights
Letters can be addressed
to: Ybhg Tan Sri Musa Hitam
Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission,
29th. Floor, Menara Tun Razak,
Jalan Raja Laut,
50350 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Fax- 603-26125620
Tel-603-26125600
Email: humanrights@humanrights.com.my Datuk
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Minister of Home Affairs
Aras 13, Block B1, Parcel
D
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan
65202 Putrajaya
Malaysia
Fax-603-888 68014 Mr Kofi Annan
Secretary-General,
United Nations
Room S-3800,
New York NY 10017
Fax: 1-212-963 4879/2155
Email: ecu@un.org Mrs.
Mary Robinson
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais
des Nations
8-14 avenue de la Paix,
CH 1211 Geneve,
Switzerland
Fax : (41) 229170213
Email: webadmin.hchr@unog.ch Inspector
General of Police
Tan Sri Norian Mai
Headquarters of Royal Police of Malaysia
Bukit Aman
50560 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Fax: +603 22731326 (Please
cc. a copy of your letter to the above authorities to SUARAM at suaram@suaram.org,
if possible, for documentation purposes.) Clean Clothes Campaign
PO Box 11584
1001 GN Amsterdam
The Netherlands
tel: + 31 20 4122785
fax: + 31 20 4122786
e-mail:info@cleanclothes.org | 
