Police attack ethnic Indian protestors in Malaysia

The march was organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), an alliance of 30 non-government Hindu organisations, in whose leadership lawyers are prominent. The right-wing communal orientation of the organisation is evident from its name and its appeal to Hindu Indians on the basis of ethnicity and religion.

The purpose of the demonstration was to present a petition to the British High Commission to support a lawsuit, filed in London on August 30, seeking $US4 trillion in damages for the country’s ethnic Indians. The suit seeks compensation for exploitation suffered under British rule and subsequent racial discrimination as a result of the constitution imposed by British at the time of independence in 1957.