Month: July 2011

Government steps up attacks on democratic and human rights to maintain grip on power

By CWI supporters, Malaysia

The BN (National Front) government, dominated by UMNO (United Malay National Organisation), is going all out, including by using repression and intimidation, to strengthen its position in the next general election expected soon – either this year or early next year. It was alarmed by the unprecedented victories in the 2008 general election of the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (People’s Coalition) which denied them their two-thirds majority after almost four decades in power. In that election, the Pakatan Rakyat capitalised on the momentum created by the rallies organised by BERSIH (Coalition for Fair and Clean Elections), which demanded clean and fair elections, and by HINDRAF (Hindu Rights Action Force) which demanded rights for the Indian minority in November 2007, to weaken BN support. Now, to suppress similar attempts, BN is going all out to stop a repeat of the same process, in order to continuously sustain its more than 50 years in power since independence from British rule in 1957. read more

Following is the founding statement of the ‘Forum against War Crimes and Genocide’ that was launched in Bangalore on 2nd June, 2011. The forum, which incudes New Socialist Alternative (CWI – India), was launched in response to the reports that have been percolating on the alleged war atrocities that was carried out by the Sri Lankan Army (with blessing from the Sri Lankan government) on innocent Tamil civilians (caught in the conflict) and the captured LTTE prisoners of war with an estimated 140,000 people missing from the war zone. read more