The Abolish ISA Movement (AIM) launched in Kuala Lumpur last week had set up its United Kingdom chapter in London yesterday, in order to update those residing there of news concerning the use of ISA and other state violation of civil liberties.

AIM-UK was launched at a screening of a documentary entitled Malaya, the undeclared war at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

The BBC-produced documentary, gave an alternative account of the communist insurgency in Malaya, and detailed how the British used the Internal Security Act (ISA) and other repressive laws to arrest or kill suspected communists and their sympathisers.

One of the movement's co-ordinators, Jeffrey Tan, said the main objective of AIM-UK was to inform and update Malaysians and non-Malaysians in UK of news concerning the use of the ISA and other state infringements on civil liberties.

"Many Malaysians here have expressed their concern about the recent use of ISA against opposition politicians and human rights activists. One of our main aims, is to organise campaigns demanding the repeal of all preventive detention laws which run contrary to the basic tenets of human rights," explained Tan.

In a dragnet which started 30 days ago, Malaysian police have arrested 10 people, including Keadilan vice-president Tian Chua, party leaders Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, N Gobalakrishnan, Abdul Ghani Haroon, Lokman Noor Adam, Saari Sungib and former university professor Dr Badrul Amin Baharom.

The others are social activist Hishamuddin Rais, Free Anwar Campaign (freeanwar.com) webmaster Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin and human rights activist Badaruddin Ismail.

Following the initial arrests, police had alleged that the detainees were planing to topple the government through 'militant means'.

International support

According to Tan, AIM-UK will also launch efforts to lobby the British and EU governments' support for the campaign.

"As we have seen in the documentary today, the British government has a moral obligation to condemn the use of the ISA," Tan said.

Meanwhile, Dr John Hutnyk, a lecturer at the University of London, said the movement would gain support from the international community.

"It is important that the use of the ISA in Malaysia is highlighted. We want this campaign to gain the kind of international support of other campaigns such as the anti-Apartheid movement, the environmental movement and the campaign against Nike's exploitation of labour in Indonesia," said Hutnyk.

AIM-UK has also started a signature campaign for a petition demanding the repeal of the ISA and other repressive laws. Apart from that, it is encouraging concerned citizens to send postcards to the families of the detainees to show sympathy and support.

Those who are interested to subscribe to the mailing list can send an email to AIM-UK-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.