FAC News Friday, October 19, 2001 7:51 PM

ISA Detainees send letter to Bush

Ezam Mohd Nor, Saari Sungib, Tian Chua, Dr Badrulamin Bahron, Lokman Noor Adam, and Hishamuddin Rais sent a letter to US President George W. Bush. The six, five of them leaders of the National Justice Party, are being indefinitely detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) at the Kamunting Detention Center.

The letter, dated 3 October, was hand-delivered to the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, 16 October 2001, and faxed to the US State Department that same afternoon.

"We - a group of six political prisoners, consist of journalist, scholars, NGO activists, human rights campaigners and leaders of opposition party, who have been involving in peaceful struggle for political change in Malaysia," said the letter. "We have been detained since April 10, 2001, under the ISA, which allow the authorities to imprison people without the benefit of a fair and open trial."

The letter went on to say, "The US Administration has in the past frequently criticized human rights abuses by Dr Mahathir's government. The US' firm stand on human rights has been appreciated by the people of Malaysia."

"We understand that Your Excellency will be holding a meeting with Dr Mahathir at the APEC Forum Meeting in Shanghai. While forging anti-terrorist coalition with Malaysia, we urge the US not to forsake its long-standing commitment to defend freedom and human rights. Therefore we call upon Your Excellency to raise the issues of human rights abuses in Malaysia. Specifically we appeal for you intervention on our behalf to seek our release."

"During the APEC Meeting, we hope Your Excellence will continue to remind Dr Mahathir and other leaders of the Asia Pacific region, that economic progress must go hand in hand with democratic reforms."

(Full text of the letter can be read here)