Act Now

Action alert: Malaysia – Demand the State of Perak to stop the mistreatment of fellow Muslims

Home

Act Now

Action alert: Malaysia – Demand the State of Perak to stop the mistreatment of fellow Muslims

29 March 2014

{jathumbnailoff}Demand action against internecine discrimination

Contents
1. Action Required
2. Summary
3. Background
4. Sample Letter
5. Addresses for Sample Letter

1. Action required
Please write to the Menteri Besar of Perak urging him to take action in curbing the extreme mistreatment of Muslims by the authoritarian groups that are inciting internecine discrimination and prejudice based on historical and minor differences.

2. Summary
The current mistreatment of Muslims following a religious gathering on the evening of 8 March 2014 is an alarming example of internecine discrimination that has no basis in Islam and must be stopped.

3. Background
The following account, according to reports, describes the arrests of 200-300 Muslims (Shias) in Perak over the weekend. Although they are all released now, it was the treatment of civilians that appeared to be disturbing, especially when authorities bombarded premises without a substantial reason to and detained them without any legal cause.

At 9.30pm on 8 March 2014, a religious gathering celebrating the birthday of one of the key Islamic figures, Lady Zaynab (the Majlis on the Wiladah of Sayyidah Zaynab (a.s)), beginning with the recitation of the Holy Qur’an proceeded by Islamic eulogies and poetry, was raided. Authorities from the Enforcement division of the Perak State Islamic Department (Jabatan Agama Islam Perak (JAIP)) with the help of Malaysian Police surrounded the area while the Majlis was still on and proceeded to enter the premises, arresting all the guests who were present. Women and children were included and all rounded up and taken to the Police Lock-up in Selama with Police trucks. The lock-up is around 40km from the area where the Majlis was being held.

The detainees were processed and interviewed by the Police at the Police station (without the presence of the enforcement officers from JAIP). The detainees who were waiting in the questioning room for over an hour to two hours were given some bread and plain water by the Police. The detainees included the elderly, women and children as young as 4 months old. According to reports, one of the women detainees was taken to the nearest hospital as she was having some health complications perhaps due to the ordeal. The rest tried to sleep on the floor of the lock-up. Some Police officers collected money to buy some food for the detainees who were hungry in their cells. A high ranking officer of the station came by and visited the detainees in their cells.

In the morning, the detainees were given fried rice and tea for breakfast. All this while since last night, there was no sign of enforcement officers from the Perak State Islamic Department. The women and children were released on bail and were given specific dates to report back to the Syariah court by the Enforcement officers of the Perak State Islamic Department. The men were then released and also given specific dates to be present at the Syariah court. They were later sent back to the place where the Majlis was conducted last night by Police trucks as their vehicles were all parked there.

The above is the chronology of the detention by the enforcement officers of the Perak State Islamic Religious Department (JAIP). The police officers expressed their dismay that small kids were also detained in the cell with their mothers. According to one Police officer who declined to be named, “We ourselves do not know how this could have occurred, we were only given instructions to detain them and we were quite surprised with the conduct of JAIP officers”.

4. Sample letter

Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir
Head of the executive branch of government Malaysian state of Perak
Office of the Chief Minister of Perak  Level 2, Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan  Jalan Panglima Bukit Gantang Wahab  30000 Ipoh, Perak.

Dear Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir,

RE: Concerned with the mistreatment of innocent civilians by police.

I am very concerned with the reports of the arrests of 200-300 Muslims (Shias) in Perak over the weekend of 8 – 9 March. Although they are all released now, this treatment is unacceptable, without legal cause and in violation of the Amman Declaration to which Malaysia is a signatory.

On 9.30pm 8 March 2014, authorities from the Enforcement division of the Perak State Islamic Department (Jabatan Agama Islam Perak (JAIP)) with the help of Malaysian Police surrounded the area while the a religious gathering was still on and proceeded to enter the premises, arresting all the guests who were present. Women and children were all rounded and taken to the Police Lock-up in Selama with Police trucks. The Male and the elderly were also taken to the same place which is around 40km from the area where the Majlis was being held.

According to the Amman Declaration from the OIC, there are no causes for such actions between Muslims. Unity and the acceptance of difference as recognised by this declaration is something that the Malaysian state has signed up to and is duty bound to uphold.

I seek your written response and assurance that no such action will happen again and that all thee easiness currently bailed will be freed from all police supervision.

I await your positive response.

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]

5. Where to send your letter

http://zambryperak.com/?page_id=32

https://www.facebook.com/pages/DATO-DR-ZAMBRY-ABD-KADIR/49038308542

——————————————————————————————
For more information, please contact the office on the numbers or email below
——————————————————————————————
IHRC is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

Please help IHRC by visiting http://shop.ihrc.org and making a donation or buying an item from our on-line store.

If you are reusing this alert, please cite the source.

For more information, please contact the office on the numbers or email below.

“And what reason have you that you should not fight in the way of Allah and of the weak among the men and the women and the children, (of) those who say: Our Lord! Cause us to go forth from this town, whose people are oppressors, and give us from Thee a guardian and give us from Thee a helper.”
Holy Qur’an: Chapter 4, Verse 75

Join the Struggle for Justice. Join IHRC.

Email: info@ihrc.org