The wives of three Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees today urged the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) to launch a public inquiry into the violation of their husbands' rights.

The three women, who represented the wives of other ISA detainees, also handed numerous protest letters from the detainees to Suhakam secretary Kamaruddin Mohd Baria at the commission's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

Among the letters, was a request by 60 detainees that the commission reopens its dialogue with them.

The detainees said it was their view that "elements of sabotage" had worked to prevent Suhakam from doing a proper job in accounting the views of all detainees when it held a public inquiry into detention conditions last June.

"Suhakam was only able to meet individuals for only five minutes. Even then, those individuals in which detainees had selected to represent them in interviews with the commission were not called upon," they said.

Complaints abound

In their letters, dated between Sept 16 and Oct 6, the detainees complained that Kamunting Detention Camp authorities often withdraw or threaten to withdraw their right to medical care, recreation, family visits and access to basic needs such as food.

One of the detainees, Yazid Sufaat - who sent three separate letters - claimed that medical officers refused to record his complaints.

Yazid was detained over his alleged links with the regional terror network Jemaah Islamiah and the Sept 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

The detainees also claimed that their families were being harassed, including receiving phone calls from Special Branch officers while their wives were called in for interviews with the police on the pretext that the detainees would be released.

Another detainee, Abdullah Mohamed Noor said bank account documents and ATM cards were seized, leaving his family with no money.

He added that the documents have yet to be returned despite an appeal to the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters.

"I have also applied to close one of my bank accounts, but the bank refused to comply on the basis that prior approval was needed from the police," he added.

Legal access

Six of the detainees - Yazid, Ahmad Yani Ismail, Abdul Razak Baharudin, Shakom Shahid, Mohd Sha Sarijan and Abdul Samad Shukri - also claimed that camp officials tried to deny them access to lawyers.

According to them, their lawyers were initially informed that only those detainees who signed their affidavits would be allowed access.

Meanwhile, the wives also claimed unfair and inconsistent treatment by the authorities.

Unless met with strong and sustained protest by the detainees, authorities would often prevent families full access to the detainees, said Norlaila Othman, wife of alleged JI detainee Mat Sah Satray.

"Our husbands have become convenient victims in our pursuit to fulfill America's war aims against terrorism," said Jurainah Basari, wife of detainee Suhaimi Mokhtar.

"The authorities have not been able to obtain a single evidence on our husbands, despite ransacking our homes trying to look for weapons or bombs to incriminate them. How long more will they be kept under detention?" she asked.

Also present at the Suhakam office were members of the Anti-ISA Movement (GMI).