Tian Chua to Aliran We will not Abandon our Struggle
Greetings from the iron cages of the ISA. Our hunger strike, which started on April 10, finally concluded on April 21. Although we have suspended our action our determination to continue fighting for the abolition of the ISA will not end here.
It is regrettable that throughout our hunger strike, the government had refused to answer our demands or to address the central issue - that is detention without trial. Instead the Ministry of Home Affairs, through Abdullah Badawi and Chor Chee Hong, made several unfounded allegations against the hunger strikers.
Nevertheless, we are pleased that the hunger strike has again drawn public attention towards human rights violation by this regime.
A year since our arrest, human rights in this country have drastically deteriorated and, with the pretext of terrorist threats, the ISA arrests have become more and more arbitrary. The nation lost its vibrant dynamics of the democratic struggle within a short period of 12 months. The fear to exercise one’s rights has returned to haunt the people. To a large extent, the success of Mahathir’s regime to derail democratic reforms was due to the application of the ISA.
We staged the hunger strike on the first anniversary of our detention was not out of despair or helplessness. On the contrary our action testified that the detention, isolation and intimidation failed to break our combatant spirit. After one year of imprisonment with the prospect of indefinite extension, we are still standing firm with our conviction.
Our strength in fact came from the people. As long as we are truthfully upholding our commitment to democratic struggle, the people will never abandon us. The support we received during the hunger strike has demonstrated widespread concern for our cause, not only in Malaysia but around the world.
We salute the more than a dozen activists who carried out simultaneous solidarity hunger strikes at Taman Melawar. There were also another 100 or so people participating in hunger strike at different locations. Many others - organisations and individuals - have contributed to the struggle in many different ways. Aliran too has been very active in soliciting and mobilising support for the struggle against detention without trial.
We hope Aliran and other friends of human rights will continue from the momentum of the hunger strikes to further promote awareness on the need for democratic change. We shall encourage the people to stand up against further transgression of our rights. We shall not let fear deny the democratic future of future generations.
Lastly let me end this message with a note of thanks to the Aliran Exco and members from the six political detainees in Kamunting.
Tian Chua
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