Police action against anti-war protestors in Kuala Lumpur last Sunday has been described as "foolish" and "unnecessary" by a member of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).

"It was not a desperate situation. The protest was peaceful and it was a worldwide protest against the war in Iraq. The action of the police has reflected badly on the country's image," commissioner Hamdan Adnan said today.

Slamming the police for not learning from past mistakes, he also urged that they exercise more restraint against demonstrators, particularly those staging peaceful protests.

About 400 people from the Klang Valley, Ipoh and Penang had gathered outside the United States Embassy to protest the prolonged occupation of Iraq by the United States and its allies.

They complained that police used chemical-laced water and teargas to disperse the crowd, less than 30 seconds after three warnings were sounded by siren.

"I've noticed that the public complaints (in media reports) were similar to those after previous demonstrations, such as the lack of time for protestors to disperse. The police have obviously not been reading Suhakam's reports and recommendations," said Hamdan.

Suhakam's recommendations, made through its annual reports, have included advising police to allow demonstrators more time to disperse, for example at 10-minute intervals between warnings before taking action.

Hamdan further questioned the functions and efficiency of the special commission on the police , saying the police action has "made a mockery of the commission's role in the international community".

"The commission's presence does not seem to help," he added, assuring the protestors that the matter would be investigated if they lodge complaints with Suhakam.

Stream of letters

Meanwhile, groups in Ireland, Britain and Germany have written letters to the offices of the prime minister and the inspector-general of police, expressing outrage over the treatment of the protestors. Copies were made available to malaysiakini.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was taken to task for not ensuring human rights practices, such as the freedom of assembly and expression.

An elected councillor from Dublin described the act of using violence on the protestors as "inhuman".

"I condemn the abuse and disrespect of the right to assemble peacefully by the Malaysian government and its police force," wrote Ruth Coppinger, Socialist Party member of Fingal County Council in Ireland.

"I call on the Malaysian government as well as Malaysian embassies worldwide to restore the rights to assemble peacefully, democracy and human rights in Malaysia."

Another councillor, Clare Daly expressed her "absolute outrage at the vicious, unprovoked attack on Malaysian anti-war protestors".

"The use of the riot police (Federal Reserve Unit) and the scandalous actions of Mohd Nor (Cheras police chief), in ordering the police to attack is a very poor reflection on a country that claims to be democratic," she wrote.

A letter from the Socialist Party in Britain protested the "brutality" of the 120-strong police force.

"Along with many hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, including 100,000 here in London, these protestors were showing their opposition to the continued occupation of Iraq by US, British and other forces," said its representative, Hannah Sell.

The party asked Abdullah to ensure that constitutional rights are enforced and respected in Malaysia.

"In the absence of such reassurance, the Socialist Party here in Britain, together with our sister parties in almost 40 countries throughout the world, will continue to publicise and protest against this outrageous situation," she added.

Similar letters were sent by the St Helen's branch of the National Union of Teachers in Britain, Raph Parkinson, a union leader in Liverpool, England and German Christoph Waelz from a workers' organisation in Leipzig, Germany.

Malaysian opposition leaders had earlier told the government to state its stand on the Iraq war following the police action, but there has been no response to date.


Photo gallery of Sunday's crackdown