By HARIATI AZIZANWHEN Kerong Tuai Kampung Kelesau Naan (TK Kelesau) failed to return home after checking an animal trap near his home in 2007, his family knew something was amiss.
The 70-year-old headman of the Long Kerong village in Ulu Baram, Sarawak, had led his fellow villagers in a barricade to prevent loggers from entering and destroying their forest homes.
The villagers searched for TK Kelesau but to no avail. Two months later, his skeletal remains were found. Although his mysterious death shook the Penan village, it made them more adamant to carry on their struggle for their land rights.
On the way: The JERIT cycling team making its way through the country.
Like the Ulu Baram Penans, many other indigenous orang asli in Malaysia are fighting to defend their forest heritage, sometimes risking violence and death.
It was no surprise that local human rights organisation Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Voice of the Malaysian Peoples, or Suaram) awarded their Human Rights Award 2008 to the inspiring community. The honour was jointly shared by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).
The Suaram Annual Human Rights Award was created in 1999 as a tribute to a community or group that has shown exceptional courage and perseverance in defending their human rights.
This year’s nominees included the JERIT cycling team for their attempt to raise public awareness on various human rights issues and Raub’s Bukit Koman residents committee for their quest to stop the use of cyanide in nearby gold-mining activities.
Missing: TK Kelesau’s remains were found near his village.
This year, the awards are extra special as they will be announced at Suaram’s 20th anniversary celebration dinner, which will be held tomorrow at the MBPJ Banquet Hall, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
The dinner, themed “20 Years Defending Human Rights”, is aimed at paying tribute to human rights defenders who have fought and sacrificed for the improvement of human rights in Malaysia, as well as to raise funds for Suaram to continue its work.
The local human rights NGO was set up in 1989 banded together to form an organisation that would advocate human rights in the country.
Suaram has since established itself as a leading human rights organisation in Malaysia with campaigns on abuse of power by enforcement authorities, the rights of refugees and freedom of expression, to name a few.
In 1998, Suaram started publishing an annual human rights report on Malaysia, which is widely recognized as one of the more comprehensive sources of information on the state of human rights in Malaysia. Suaram has also expanded with branches in Penang and Johor.
The fundraising dinner will feature performances by performers such as Shanon Shah, Meor, Jerome Kugan and Azmyl Yunor.
A new publication, SUARAM: 20 Years Defending Human Rights, will also be launched at the dinner.
For more information on the dinner or this year’s Suaram Annual Human Rights Award, call 03-7784 3525 or visit www.suaram.net.
No comments:
Post a Comment