A Marathon Hindu Solidarity Protests Rally against atrocities committed on Hindus in all part of the world took place on the 16th September 2012 at the Indian High Commission London, Bangladesh High Commission London, Pakistan High Commission London, Malaysia High Commission London and at Marble Arch London for Hindu Prayer Vigil for Sri Lankan Tamil Victims.
I, Mrs Ano Rao, Executive Member of Hindu Council UK, participated along with Hindu Human Rights UK organisation Leaders and other Hindu members in the UK to show our solidarity with all Hindus in the United Kingdom. I as the HCUK representative went with my family members to support this rally. Everyone at the rally was happy that we joined them to show our solidarity for this demonstration.
I was interviewed by one of the HHR leaders of this rally at the Malaysia High Commission at 4.50 p.m. He asked me the reasons why we joined hands for this Marathon Rally? I told him that “what the Malaysian government is doing currently to the Hindus in Malaysia is unlawful”. The cases of FORCED CONVERSION OF HINDUS in Malaysia are unlawful. Each and every citizen of their country should be given freedom of religion. However, as we can see from the below cases of forced conversion of Malaysian Indians, there seems to be no freedom of religion in Malaysia. Article 11 of the federal constitution of Malaysia states that every citizen is entitled to profess their own religion.
I have also given few examples of similar cases which happened in Malaysia on forced conversion into Islam. There were many court cases brought by the Hindu Mothers to get full custody of their children who were unlawfully converted into Islam and given Muslim names for their children. These cases were tried at Shariah courts eventhough the mothers of the children were Hindu. All the Hindu mothers requested their cases to be heard at civil courts with their legal representatives. However, the Government denied their rights and directed their cases to Shariah courts. At the end of the trial, the Shariah courts decided that, since the fathers converted into Islam, the children follows the father’s Muslim name, and the Hindu mothers lost their court battles for custody of their own children who had been forced into conversion into Islam. Similar issues are happening in many parts of the world.
We therefore urge our British Prime Minister Mr. David Cameron to look into these serious issues and highlight these atrocities of forced conversion into Islam to the International communities. I have also pointed out that although Article 11 of the Federal Constitution allows every Malaysian citizen to practice their own religion; however, this constitutional right is not given fully to the Hindus in Malaysia as stated in the case of Mrs. Indra Gandhi, Mrs. Syamala, Mrs. Bangaramah and many other Hindus. Please see below weblinks for your information (101 East -Malaysian conversion Controversy- 07 Jun 07 – Pt-1 and Pt 2).
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vZTFAPRg_0&feature=relmfu
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nI5yZa9Jfg&feature=relmfu
There were about 100 to 200 people who attended the Rally to support this demonstration against Religious Discrimination in many parts of the world. As we seen many Hindu Temples been demolished in Malaysia, Sri Lanka and many other countries. Indians in Malaysia been Marginalised and they been segregated in may aspects of their lives if we look from the past 54 years since the independence of Malaysia on 31st August 1957. Hindraf/ HRP Malaysia websites have established sufficient evidence to prove that Ethnic Cleansing taken place against the Poor Malaysian Indians for the past 54 years till today. The Hindraf Makkal Sakthi organisation’s survey shows currently the Malaysian Indians employed in civil service are 0.1%.
We can hardly see many top rank officers in civil service in Malaysia currently. The Poor Malaysian Indians are denied basic Human Rights and Constitutional Rights for example Art: 8 Equality before the Law, Article: 10 Freedom of Assembly/Speech, article: 11 Freedom of Religion. As regards to Hindraf Makkal Sakti’s survey, nearly more than 10,000 Hindu temples been Demolished by the ruling UMNO government and it is in contravention of article 11 of the federal constitution. Most of these Hindu temples were build before the independence and these temples are more than 100 to 150 years old. It also been noted from Hindraf/HRP’s website survey that about 450,000 Malaysian Indians are still stateless. These poor Indians were not given Malaysian citizenship till today. This is incontravention of article 8 of the federal constitution of Malaysia. Further to this the second limb of article 153 of the federal constitution clearly states that the Honourable King in Malaysia have to safeguard the minority Rights,i.e the Indians, Chinese, Asli,Dayaks, Kadazans, Sabahans and Sarawakins.
The Chairman Mr. Waythamoorthy of Hindraf/Mr. Uthayakumar of HRP with other Malaysian Indians have filed an action in July 2012 against the British government at the Royal Court of justice London for their failure to safeguard the Indians Rights embodied in the federal constitution of Malaysia. As we know during the British Rule of Malaya, the British Rules brought Indians from mainly from South India and many parts of India to work as indenture labourers. The Poor Indians were promised that they will be given land of five to ten acres if they work and stay in Malaya for few years (600 days) in Malaya now Malaysia as settlement before the Independence 1957. However, these indenture labourers brought from India was not given their rightful entitlements by the British Rules and the Malaysian Government who were the trustees undertaken from the British before the independence 1957.
It also came to our attention recently, that the Hindraf leaders found that, the Malaysia’s Constitution was doctored.
Hindraf Chairman Mr. Waythamoorthy have gathered all the evidence to prove the Doctored Constitution at the forth coming case at the Royal Court of Justice in London against the British Government for their neglect on Poor Malaysian Indians. These vital documents/evidence been found by Hindraf Chair/ Legal Team in London archives.
During my speech when the HHR leaders interviewed me, they asked me in order to put things right for everyone in Malaysia what need to be done? In my opinion, I told the HHR leaders that Her Majesty The Queen Elizebeth II who is the Head of Commonwealth should revisit the Malaysia’s Constitution and rectify the doctored constitution so that each and every Malaysian citizen will enjoy the equal Constitutional rights in Malaysia.
We ended our rally at Malaysia High Commission at 5.30 pm. There were few police officers at the rally at Malaysia High Commission to observe our safety.
Finally, at about at 6.00 p.m. the team of Hindu Human Rights leaders and all other Hindu organisations members went to Marble Arch For Hindu Prayer Vigil for the Sri Lankans Tamil Victims of the Civil War which ended 18th May 2009. At 7.30 p.m. all of us ended our rally with final prayer. Everything went on fine with the blessings of God. At 7.40 pm the rally ended peacefully.
Mrs. Ano Rao
Executive Member of Hindu Council UK