The 25 November 2007 civil disobedience organized by Tamil in Malaysia against their discrimination and marginalization by the Muslim dominated government represents a signficant milestone in their long struggle for equal and democratic rights. The demonstrations in which hundreds and thousands of Tamil converged in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur was a rude shock to the government and those Tamil ethnic leaders who have betrayed the Tamil community.
The demonstration by hundreds of thousands of Tamils in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, organized by HINDRAF (Hindu Rights Action Force), a coalition of more than 30 Tamil organizations, is a testimony to the fact that things are not going for them in the country. Over recent years, discrimination of Tamils in the public sector, the denial of business opportunities in the private sector, lack of promotion in employment and the destruction of temples in the name of development have been traumatic to the Tamil community. Moreover, the lack of effective representation by the MIC (Malaysian Indian Congress) has meant that Tamils in the country face the prospect of loosing whatever little they have gained through their hard work.
In 1967, thousands of Tamil plantation workers took about a week to march from Asahan, Malacca to Kuala Lumpur to demand better working conditions in plantations and for the re-instatement of workers who had been earlier dismissed. In the late 1960s and earlier 1970s, hundreds of thousands of plantation workers waged protests to prevent the fragmentation of plantations. In the 1980s and 1990s, Tamil plantation and urban workers staged many wildcat strikes to seek better wage and living conditions. Although the nature and intensity of Indian protests could have differed over a long period, Tamils in Malaysia have a record of organizing resistance to attempts at suppression
Since political independence in 1957, things have not been going well for Tamils. In the earlier decades, being confined to the plantation sector, Tamil workers lacked the consciousness to articulate their main concerns. However, with the fragmentation and commercialization of plantations in the last few decades, more and more Tamils have migrated to urban areas. While they might not have ended up with decent employment, they have become more conscious of their plight and how the UMNO (United Malay National Organization) dominated BN (Barisan Nasional) government has denied them opportunities that were available to other Malaysians. In the recent decades, the rise of Islamization in the country and the attempt by some leaders to label Malaysia as an Islamic country has caused serious concerns to non-Muslims particularly ethnic Tamils who are largely Hindus.
The declaration that Malaysia is an Islamic country has created problems for freedom of worship. Since the 1980s, many Hindu temples have been removed in the country on the grounds of their illegality or to make way for development. Only in few cases, alternative temples sites have been provided. While Tamils have been politically, economically and socially marginalized for some time, it was the destruction of temples in the last few years that have aroused the anger of the Tamil community. Since the MIC or other pro-government Tamil organizations were unable to represent the community in the religious realm, it took the formation of HINDRAF to articulate the serious concerns of the community.
HINDRAF might have been formed to address the religious plight of the Tamil community, however, its platform is much more broader. The hundreds of thousands of protestors, who converged in Kuala Lumpur, had all kinds of reasons to take part in the demonstration. While earlier Tamil demonstrations were composed mainly of the working class, however, this one was composed of all classes—working class Tamils, members of the middle-class, engineers, lawyers and doctors. Demonstrations by Tamils is nothing new in the country, but what is new today is that more and more members of the Tamil middle and professional classes are taking part in demonstrations. The mixed, all-class composition of the demonstrators is testimony to the fact that all classes of Tamils have become victims of the government’s racial or pro-Malay policy.
The very fact that Tamils could converge in Kuala Lumpur despite the intimidating presence of the police and the warnings sounded by the MIC and other organizations indicated that they were able to overcome their fear. The MIC, the self-proclaimed representative of the Tamil community seems to be most troubled by the recent events. Its complete lack of credibility in articulating the concerns of the community and its inability to prevent the occurrence of the demonstrations have put it in a bad light with the government. While the party boasts it that it prefers to work with the government to resolve the problems of the Tamil community, however, to date it has not done anything concrete for the community. It has failed to increase the national equity of the community, prevent the over discrimination of Tamils in the public sector, prevent the destruction of temples and what is more failed to present any credible plan for the progress of the community.
Today, the MIC, formed the late 1940s, remains a poor alternative for the Tamil community. In fact, its existence in the BN has nothing to do with the Tamil community; rather it has to do with the politics of UMNO in projecting the propaganda that the country is run by a multi-racial coalition. The demonstration on 25 November organized by HINDRAF is another powerful remainder that the presence of the MIC or the PPP (People’s Progressive Party) has nothing to do with the well being of the Tamil community. These parties are merely composed of politicians basically bent on enriching themselves in the name of the Tamil community.
The mobilization of Tamils for demonstration was on the basis of an ingenious strategy. A US$4 trillion suit against the British government for abandoning the Tamil community gained worldwide publicity for HINDRAF. Tamils were mobilized to converge in Kuala Lumpur to present a petition to the British High Commission located in Jalan Ampang on 25 November. Given the overwhelming response to the call made by HINDRAF, the authorities feared the worst. This would explain the reason why they took the necessary measures including the use of violence against women and children from attending the rally at the British High Commission. However, despite facing all kinds of obstacles, Tamils defied the odds by gathering and protesting against the injustices perpetrated by the Muslim dominated Barisan Nasional government of Malaysia.
The protests were peaceful in nature. Pictures of Mahatma Gandhi were displayed by the protestors to drive home the point that they were engaging in civil disobedience and the carrying of Malaysian flags signified that they were Malaysians who expected equal rights like others.
A community that was once described as meek and weak was aroused by the racist policies of the regime. There is no turning back for Tamils anymore. They have found strength in defiance and in number. It would be difficult for the government and the MIC to re-apply their politics of control based on old forms of control.
Ultimately, whether Tamil resistance would subside or not is really in the hands of the government. If its leaders are bent on continuing their racist and religious bigotry, then Tamils have to prepare for a long-drawn out battle. It such a battle takes shape, and then there is possibility that civil disobedience could be severely tested. If the state authorities are going to unleash violence on the Tamil community, then there is a possibility that Tamils would have to re-think the limits of the strategy of civil disobedience, preached by Gandhi and Martin Luther King. Next time around, there might be pictures of Pripahakaran, the leader of the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam).
Published: Nov 26, 2007 17:09:28 GMT