[sustran] Urgent appeal: Forced evictions in Malaysia

[Urban Resource Unit]

[Since these evictions were to make way for a widened road, I thought this
might interest this discussion list.]

40 SHOP HOUSES DEMOLISHED, 16 ARRESTED AND 200 VICTIMS OF POLICE
BRUTALITY

Police violence at its worst was seen when about 100 police personnel
and 50 Municipal Council personnel demolished 40 shop houses at Kampung
Penaga, Petaling Jaya, a "squatter" village near the capital city of
Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.

Police personnel armed with shields and batons arrived at 7.30am on May
12, 1998 to carry out the demolition exercise. About 200 residents of
Kampung Penaga formed a barricade at the entrance to the shop houses to
stop the demolition. Women and children were at the fore front holding
placards and shouting their protests and disappointments at the local
authorities' efforts to demolish their shop houses.

At 1.30pm the police closed in on the crowd that were now offering up
prayers for strength and safety. After only one warning a water cannon
was fired and subsequently maze and tear gas was shot right at the crowd
of women, children and men. The crowd dispersed immediately in all
directions.

Instantly, the police moved in on the people that had fallen to the
ground due to the blinding and choking effects of the chemicals. Many of
them were beaten, dragged and pulled to side of the road. The police
surrounded the shop houses and 6  bulldozers took 3 hours to demolish
the shop houses that lined the main road.

The heavy downpour that followed did not deter the operation or the
Municipal Council personnel in dragging out the goods and furniture that
were in the shops before demolishing them. Much goods were still in many
of the shops when they were demolished.

14 men and 2 women were also arrested under section 27 of the Police Act
for illegal assembly. They were all released the same day.

The forced eviction took place to make way for the broadening of the
main road. This road is part of a plan to develop the very last stretch
of vacant land in Petaling district that is earmarked for development
into an entrepreneur park. This park would consist mainly of large
office buildings and shop lots.

At present this area is occupied by about 2,000 over "squatter" families
including Kampung Penaga. More than 1000 squatter families have already
been evicted since 1995 to make way for the first phase of this
development scheme. Only 16 of them who brought their matter to court
was compensated about RM23,000. The rest received RM7,200 as rent for 2
years or moved to temporary settlements known as long houses (400 square
feet houses linked together in rows of 10 or more).

The residents and shop owners of Kampung Penaga are not a stubborn lot
of people merely in the way of development as many of the local papers
would describe them to be. They were the urban pioneers that opened a
once desolate mining area in the 1970s. They built their homes and
livelihood, brought in water, electricity and roads and even built their
community hall and place of worship with their own money and sweat.

"All we want is to see that our rights are maintained. We want adequate
compensation for the loss of our homes and livelihoods. A house for the
house and a shop lot for the shop lot we will loose. This we have always
hoped would be reached through negotiations with the developer",
stresses Mr Muin, the chairperson of the Kg Penaga residents and shop
owners committee. Most of the 40 shop houses owners have decided to
rebuild their shops, start  business and face the fire.

Yet for the developer, TA Management Sdn Bhd and the government's
machinery, push has come to shove in reaching their narrow aims of
development.

------------------------------------------------

Dear friends,

We would like to make an urgent appeal to address the problem faced by
our friends at Kampung Penaga and the issue of forced eviction and
police brutality faced by our country.

It would be most helpful if you could help us in the following ways :

a.  Write a letter of protest against forced eviction and police
brutality addressed to the Chief Minister of Selangor, Malaysia. A
sample letter is given below.

To,
Chief Minister of Selangor (YAB Menteri Besar Selangor)
Pejabat Menteri Besar,
Tingkat 21, Bangunan Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah
40000 Shah Alam
Selangor D.E.
Malaysia

Fax: +60 3 - 5590032

Ref : Stop Forced Evictions in Malaysia.

Dear Sir,

It has come to our attention that on May 12, 1998 an army of 100 police
personnel and 50 Municipal Council personnel forcefully and violently
evicted 40 shop houses of Kampung Penaga, off Old Kelang Road, Petaling
district.

Under the International Convention on Economic and Social and Cultural
Rights, that was signed in 1979,  housing rights are guaranteed to
everyone. In this connection the United Nations Bodies, through a series
of resolutions, have made it clear that  forced evictions are a gross
violation of human rights, in particular housing rights. Malaysian
government officials and social activists were represented at the United
Nations Habitat II Conference in Istanbul 1996 and through unanimous
adoption of the Habitat Agenda the world community including your
government was also committed to "integrate land and shelter policies
with policies for reducing poverty and creating jobs..... and for
empowering those belonging to disadvantaged groups particularly people
without shelter"

We urge you to instruct the local authorities to STOP THE FORCED
EVICTIONS AND INITIATE A DIALOGUE WITH THE PEOPLE and  provide necessary
assistance to those concerned, in conformity with the international
human rights standards.

Your consideration would be much appreciated.

With best regards
Name
Organisation


b.  You could also visit, call or write (if you're not in the country)
to the residents of Kampung Penaga to show support and solidarity in
this time of struggle. You could email your messages to me and I in turn
will direct time to the residents. You could also mail, call or fax at
the following :
                   Mr Abdul Muin bin Ahmad
                   Chairperson
                   Kg Penaga Residents and Shop Owners Committee
                   7C, Tingkat 4
                   Jalan Bangsar
                   59000 Kuala Lumpur
                   Malaysia
                   Tel No +60 3-2840726
                   Tel No : +60 3-2845700

c. SEND THIS MESSAGE OUT TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS

Kindly contact me if you would like more information on the events
mentioned. I will also email selected photographs of the above force
eviction at Kampung Penaga within a day or so.

Thank you for your efforts and kind involvement.

In solidarity,
Joanna de Rozario
Coordinator
Urban Resource Unit <urujdr at pc.jaring.my>