Conversion row: Hindu group goes international
Published: Feb 21, 2006 5:19 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
The government's failure in resolving the religious conversion dispute effectively has led the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) to go international with its grouses.
The government's failure in resolving the religious conversion dispute effectively has led the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) to go international with its grouses.
According to a statement today, Hindraf said for the first leg of its international campaign, it has secured appointments and meetings with foreign officials, statesmen and international bodies in Washington, New York and London.
It's chairperson P Waytha Moorthy left for Washington on Sunday and would meet officials from the US State Department, the Department of Justice, The House of Representatives Foreign Relations Committee members and others.
He will then proceed to New York, where he is expected to meet officials from the office of UN secretary-general Kofi Anan, representatives of Human Rights Watch and other NGOs.
In London, he will meet with Parliamentarian Jeremy Corbyn, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Desk Officer for Malaysia, European Union officials, Amnesty International representatives, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the British Bar Council and others.
No other alternative
"The government was forewarned that unless effective steps are taken to respect human rights and religious freedom, Hindraf has no alternative but to raise the matter with foreign governments and international bodies to seek redress," read the statement.
"The injustices have become a well entrenched government policy and administration. This will most definitely defeat multi-racialism and the cardinal principles of secularism," it added.
Hindraf was set up following the controversial decision of the Kuala Lumpur High Court not to review a Syariah court ruling that former army commando M Moorthy had died a Muslim and should be buried as such.
The organisation claims to represent some 50 Hindu groups.
Moorthy's death in December had sparked off a huge debate on religious freedom, leading many quarters to call on the government to push for the repeal of Article 121 (1A) which prevents civil courts from interfering in religious matters.
However, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Jan 20 said there was no need to repeal or amend the laws.
A disappointed Hindraf then vowed to take the matter to the international arena.
According to a statement today, Hindraf said for the first leg of its international campaign, it has secured appointments and meetings with foreign officials, statesmen and international bodies in Washington, New York and London. It's chairperson P Waytha Moorthy left for Washington on Sunday and would meet officials from the US State Department, the Department of Justice, The House of Representatives Foreign Relations Committee members and others.
He will then proceed to New York, where he is expected to meet officials from the office of UN secretary-general Kofi Anan, representatives of Human Rights Watch and other NGOs.
In London, he will meet with Parliamentarian Jeremy Corbyn, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Desk Officer for Malaysia, European Union officials, Amnesty International representatives, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the British Bar Council and others.
No other alternative
"The government was forewarned that unless effective steps are taken to respect human rights and religious freedom, Hindraf has no alternative but to raise the matter with foreign governments and international bodies to seek redress," read the statement.
"The injustices have become a well entrenched government policy and administration. This will most definitely defeat multi-racialism and the cardinal principles of secularism," it added.
Hindraf was set up following the controversial decision of the Kuala Lumpur High Court not to review a Syariah court ruling that former army commando M Moorthy had died a Muslim and should be buried as such. The organisation claims to represent some 50 Hindu groups.
Moorthy's death in December had sparked off a huge debate on religious freedom, leading many quarters to call on the government to push for the repeal of Article 121 (1A) which prevents civil courts from interfering in religious matters.
However, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Jan 20 said there was no need to repeal or amend the laws.
A disappointed Hindraf then vowed to take the matter to the international arena.
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