The Malaysian Bar - 13 orang asli held for putting up blockade

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13 orang asli held for putting up blockade

Sunday, 29 January 2012 09:45am

©The Star (Used by permission)

PETALING JAYA: Thirteen orang asli were detained in Gua Musang, Kelantan, when they staged a protest against alleged land encroachment.

They were detained yesterday after putting up a blockade to stop companies from logging in the area, said Centre for Orang Asli Concerns coordinator Colin Nicholas.

In a statement, he also alleged that the police had burned down the barrier and the adjacent structures that were put up.

He said the police had set up a road block from the orang asli area to Gua Musang and prevented the Temiars from going to the police station to show their support for those who were detained.

“The Temiar started their blockade on Jan 4 after earlier measures to stop the logging on their land failed.

“After discussions with the police and district officer of Gua Musang, they agreed to give the district officer two weeks to resolve the logging and other land-related grievances,” he said.

However, he said the orang asli decided to resume their blockade yesterday as there had been no word from the authorities.

Siti Kassim, an observer from the Bar Council’s Committee for Orang Asli Rights, said she was with the orang asli at that time.

“I tried to follow them to provide legal aid but was instead separately detained by the police for questioning,” she said.

Bernama quoted Gua Musang Police Chief DSP Aziz Hassan as saying that the people were detained after negotiations broke down between the police and a few rally leaders.

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