IGP should look into police complicity in Orang Asli land encroachment, says Suaram

The Inspector-Genera of Police should take responsibility for the conduct of the Royal Malaysian Police in supporting and assisting in the demolition of blockades and the arrest of Temiar activists in Gerik, Perak.

Human rights group Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) expressed its grave concerns over the on-going crackdown on Orang Asli blockades at Gerik and other locations across Malaysia and called on IGP Abdul Hamid Bador to immediately release the activists and issue a directive 'reining in the police' over the matter.

"The IGP cannot ignore the policy direction by the Pakatan Harapan administration and must ensure that the police comply with the policy direction of the administration with regards to the protection and promotion of Orang Asli rights.

"Furthermore, the IGP must answer for why no actions have been taken against the logging companies who were encroaching on Orang Asli lands.

"The blockades built by Orang Asli communities are a response to the encroachment of their ancestral land, and it is an act to defend their livelihood and the survival of their community.

"The federal government had previously committed to protecting the rights of Orang Asli and initiated proceedings against the Kelantan state government on the matter," said Suaram in a statement today.

Suaram called on the Harapan administration to put an end to the inconsistency and hypocrisy in protecting the rights of Orang Asli.

"The administration cannot, on the one hand, commit to protecting Orang Asli rights and on the other, have the police running contrary to the policy and supporting loggers and plantation owners in dismantling barricades and arresting community activists," said Suaram executive director Sevan Doraisamy.

"The Harapan administration must reign in the police and issue a clear directive to the police in the handling of matters relating to Orang Asli blockade," he said.

Suaram also called for Harapan’s state governments to reflect its commitment at the federal level and suspend all activities and licenses that would encroach on Orang Asli ancestral lands.

"If the Harapan administration through the Home Affairs Ministry is unwilling to act, its members of Parliament, especially those sitting in the Parliament Standing Committee on Rights and Gender Equality must summon the Home Minister and IGP to answer for the ongoing violation of Orang Asli rights," said Sevan.

He added that Orang Asli’s rights had been trampled enough under the Barisan Nasional administration but Harapan cannot claim that the violation occurred during the BN era if they failed to implement any policy to put an end to the encroachment of ancestral lands. - Mkini