CruzinThots: Bkt Selambau : The Hindraf Dilemma

Thursday 2 April 2009

Bkt Selambau : The Hindraf Dilemma

The following is a response to a letter published on delCapo. He obviously wrote and articulated himself quite well. Much of what was said was very true. However the insinuation that people have forgotten the contribution of "Hindraf" in "shaming the people into action" in the March 8 13th GE is unwarranted.

The writer said,"Have we forgotten the role that Hindraf played in making 8/3/08 possible? These are the people who, in their pain & desperation could do nothing else but put their bodies & their lives in the path of the FRU & their chemical cannons."

To this I'd like to ask them (Hindraf) in return - that, have they forgotten what it takes to bring real change? Don't they know that in real life, melodrama don't carry that much weight?
Let us be clear on one fact - while that protest/demonstration did "galvanize", the reason for its effect was very much due to the fact that it came at the heels of the Bersih rally and the widespread online campaign which was going on long before. It was successful beyond the wildest imagination of even the organisers themselves! Let it also be clear that at that time "Hindraf" was still avery much a pro-MIC/BN grouping which insisted that they support the leadership, and only the "delivery system" need be rectified.
It was only when they were snubbed by MIC/BN, that they turned to Pakatan Rakyat for support. Nevertheless, they did work together then, to achieve the March 8th tsunami, and PR did speak up for them, while the MIC/Umno/BN regime demonized them
So - who forgot whose contributions here, if I may ask?

Don't they realize that the anarchist street protest is the easiest part in starting a psychological revolution? That consistent & sustainable ideas/ leadership is pivotal in achieving it's goals?
Have they forgotten that it was PR which spearheaded the campaign to free ISA detainees?
That while street protests may ignite the flame, it cannot keep the fire going unless there is political leadership & will? That PR does not fight on a racist platform?
Don't they realize that they themselves have betrayed their own cause?

Do they realize that they have been "compromised"?
That PR isn't as naive, and are quite aware as that "racist moles" are quite active within the folds of the apparently "rudderless hindraf leadership"?
That "Rome was not built in a day"?
The following was my response to Malaysian Heart's letter:

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The writer is mistaken in that he appears to presume that Malaysians have lost their sympathy for the issues represented by “Hindraf” on 25/11/07. This couldn’t be further from the truth. What has turned many away from the people who claim to be “leaders” (and many do claim it for themselves), is the fact that they sell themselves and their ideas in a very negative manner.
They have thus far only spoken from their own sectarian perspective and interests, and refuse to support any party unreservedly, despite having been given voice by the PR allies.
This they do, despite having been voiceless and spat on by BN for 50yrs!!

While what has been said may be very true, I believe that many hold to the idea that “Hindraf” is a cohesive organization. The fact of the matter is - it isn’t!
It is nothing but a “rag-tag” army of individuals with no real leadership. Worse still, few of their real “leaders” are politically savvy. They cannot articulate their ideas well and as such, don’t communicate well - not even among their own. With a vast majority of them only understand a sectarian agenda and nothing more. Anything else is beyond their comprehension - and educating their own doesn’t seem to be much much of a priority. The intelligentsia have all but abandoned them or has been incarcerated, and they are left with only the “mercenaries” shouting slogans.
They are prone to emotional reactions and generally speaking - have a quarrelsome attribute, which ultimately make them gullible to “propaganda”. With these characteristics, is it any wonder that they have fallen prey to the ministrations of Sammy Value and the BN racist politics?

With the many mercenaries in their fold, to hope that they get rid of their “selfish interests” would be a pipe-dream. They (the so-called “hindraf”) are so badly “penetrated by the “intelligence” of the BN that there is no conceivable way to determine who’s the “trojan” anymore. As a matter of fact, even the “leadership” has some difficulty in determining this.

It is very obvious that they (those claiming to be “coordinators”) have fallen victim to the MIC propaganda or “coercion”. This is evident from the “sympathy evoking” hospital visit of Sammy Vellu to see Thanenthiran. It is mind boggling that the media should highlight that Thanenthiran had a “heart attack”, but was in “cervical traction” instead of under CICU monitoring for the said “heart attack”. To make matters even more “glaring”, he has made a statement deriding the PR leadership for not calling or paying him a visit as Sammy did.

Any sane man will know what is happening here.
“Hindraf”, Makkal Sakthi or whatever this group may be had better get more organised and buck up- or they will just fragment and be merged once again under the MIC flag - for peanuts - in the name of “Indian Unity”!

While their case may be just, their ideas, leadership & “methods” leave much to be desired ….. therein lies the problem.

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