Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) has accused the Penang state government of aiding, abetting and assisting the Oasis project developer in demolishing the last remaining Indian heritage village of Kampung Buah Pala today.

Kampung Buah Pala is locally know as Tamil High Chaparral due to its population of Indian community, cowherds, cattle, goats, live stocks and lively Indian cultural features and festivities.

p waythamoorthy London-based Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy (right) warned that the final act of wiping out the village would serve as the beginning of the end of DAP rule in Penang and Hindraf's support for DAP nationwide.

"Hindraf is appalled at the demolition of the last remaining Indian traditional village.

"The actions and inactions of the DAP government in Penang on Kampung Buah Pala, and its subsequent lies, denial and silence on many legitimate questions on the issue has raised concerns amongst many Malaysians.

"Malaysians, especially Indians, are losing hope in initiating the political change in the country because they were already making assumptions that DAP would be no better than Umno and Barisan Nasional," said Waythamoorthy, in his email sent to Malaysiakini .

Fighting for the past 10 years

He recalled that the villagers have been fighting for the heritage preservation, conservation and redevelopment of their village for the past 10 years.

He pointed out that Hindraf officially began to assist the villagers to preserve their village as a living human heritage site on June 26 this year.

He said Hindraf's campaigns and questions on the legality of the attempt to demolish the village have opened many eyes on facts and issues behind the whole crisis.

NONE However, he noted that until today, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (left) has refused to and deliberately diverted from answering the real questions, posed at him, on Kampung Buah Pala.

Waythamoorthy recalled that Hindraf mobilised thousands of supporters to campaign for Pakatan Rakyat in the last general election because the movement believed then "the time was ripe to get rid of the BN regime."

He said the people voted for a change which they believed would enhance a more democratic, open, transparent and friendly government that would take into considerations human factors, fairness, rights of the poor, defenceless and marginalised minority communities.

"If nearby Chinese fishing village - Bang Liau and Chinese clan jetties in George Town can be recognised as a heritage village what sin has High Chaparral residents committed to face extinction?

What sin committed to face extinction

"We can now safely conclude that the state government has transformed into a regime in Umno's mould," said Waythamoorthy.

He also ticked off Pakatan senior leaders such as PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, PAS spiritual leader Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat, Syed Husin Ali and DAP national chairperson Karpal Singh and many others for being tight-lipped on the issue.

"Their deafening silence has made Hindraf wonder whether they have been held ransom by Guan Eng for reasons best known to them.

He said Hindraf urged the Pakatan senior leaders to break their licence and openly state their stand on the Kampung Buah Pala saga.

Should they fail to do so, he said a wrong signal would be sent to the public that would later erode the confidence of the rakyat in Pakatan.

Wrong signal would erode rakyat's confidence

"Pakatan would then have to pay a hefty price in the next general election," warned the Hindraf leader.

He said Hindraf would prepare a documentary in the form of DVDs to explain to the people on the true saga of the High Chaparral crisis.

NONE He said it was very troubling to hear that a senior women citizen, R Indrani (62), had attempted to torch herself in order to protect her home.

"Penang government has performed badly and behaved like a capitalist state government out to only oppress the poor and defenceless people.

"The people could not gauge DAP previously because it was the opposition party.

"But now it is the ruling party and the people would be able to see for themselves DAP's true nature.

"No doubt DAP will lose mass grassroots support," Waythamoorthy claimed.