Hindus say temples in Malaysia under threat, appeal to UN

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Hindus say temples in Malaysia under threat, appeal to UN

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Hindus say temples in Malaysia under threat, appeal to UN

Arun Anand | New Delhi

The Pioneer

June 12, 2006

 

Hindu groups in Malaysia allege that the Government is demolishing

temples and

have appealed to Indian rights groups and the UN to help protect their

heritage. According to the Hindu groups, the latest instance was that

of a

107-year-old place of worship that was razed last month in the

capital, Kuala

Lumpur.

 

The demolition has triggered angry reactions from Hindus in the

Muslim-dominated

country.

 

"At least one temple is being demolished by the authorities every

three weeks in

an unlawful and indiscriminate fashion, at the federal, state and

local levels,"

said PW Moorthy, chairman of Hindu Rights Action Force, a coalition

of about 50

groups.

 

Apart from Government-order demolition of temples, there is at least

instance

were hoodlums are known to have attacked a place revered by the

Hindus - like

in Kedah.

 

"Most of these temples are over a century old and have existed even

before we

got independence. And they have the cheek to deem these temples

illegal," a

furious Moorthy said from Kuala Lumpur.

 

"We hope the international community will come to our rescue and act

accordingly

and urgently in the general interest of the public to protect the

ethnic Hindu

minority community in Malaysia," he added.

 

According to rights activists, the latest incident involved

demolition of the

60-year-old Muniswara temple near Jalan Ayer Madu in Setapak,

northeast of

Kuala Lumpur, June 8.

 

"We have received reports here that five devotees were arrested and

one of them

was injured as they tried to stop the demolition," said Rajesh Gogna,

convener

of the Federation of Human Rights Organisations of India (FOHROI).

 

The FOHROI is an India-based human rights group that takes up cases

of human

rights violations of people of Indian origin living outside India.

 

"This is gross violation of human rights," he said.

 

"FOHROI has already submitted a memorandum to the Malyasian High

Commission in

New Delhi protesting against the demolition of temples in Malaysia.

We have

been assured that the issue will be looked into. We are in touch with

the Hindu

groups of Malaysia. So far the situation doesn't look too good for

them there,"

he said.

 

Targeted

 

Hindu Rights Action Force says five temples have been razed or

torched in

Malaysia recently

 

* Sri Ayyanar Sathiswary Alayam at Jalan Davies - Demolished on

February 22, its

idols buried at the site

 

* Malaimel Sri Selva Kaliamman Temple at Pantai - Demolished on April

17 by the

Kuala Lumpur City Hall

 

* Sri Kaliamman temple in Midlands Estate, Seksyen 7 - Demolished on

May 9 by

the Shah Alam City Hall

 

* Sri Balakrishan Muniswarer Temple in Setapak - Partly demolished and

threatened with further

demolition notice on May 14 by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall

 

* Gangai Muthu Karumariaman Temple in PMR Batu Buntung Estate Kulim,

Kedah

- Torched by unknown criminals on May 15

 

IANS