Keadilan has called for a thorough investigation into the assault of Internal Security Act detainees at the Kamunting camp in Perak yesterday.

Party vice-president Dr Xavier Jayakumar said that the attack o­n Tian Chua in particular was criminal in nature as he is in detention and has no means of defending himself.

"We call for a thorough investigation into this high-handed behaviour of the camp wardens and the detainees to be given immediate medical treatment," Xavier said in a statement today.

Recalling the chain of events which led to the assault yesterday afternoon, Xavier claimed that 30 officers in riot gear and plainclothes charged into the dormitory of the detainees.

Slapped and pushed

"When Tian Chua went to see what the commotion was all about, he was slapped a couple of times and pushed to the ground.

"He was wearing o­nly his sarong and in the ensuing struggle, the sarong was removed and he was pinned to the ground and handcuffed.

"Some of the officers sat o­n him and the bruise marks o­n his body are clearly visible to his family members who visited him today," Xavier said.

"When Hishamuddin Rais (one of the ISA 5) came to help out, he was also handcuffed and put into solitary confinement for o­ne hour," he said.

According to Xavier, Tian Chua who is in the process of writing his PhD thesis using the camp computer has been in continuous discussion with the camp commander to use the computer in his room, so that he can work o­n his thesis.

Finally, being utterly fed up, he took the computer into his room to work o­n Thursday. O­n Friday morning, at the meeting with the camp commander, the issue of the computer was discussed and settled amicably as far as Tian was concerned.

"The action of prisons officials later in the afternoon thus came as a great shock to the detainees," said Xavier.

Malaysiakini understands that what could have sparked the wardens' reaction against the detainees was a series of recent unpleasantries between the ISA detainees and the camp officers.

Chain of events

Firstly, Dr Badrul Amin Bahron, another of the ISA 5, who is suffering from high blood pressure was forced to travel to Kuala Lumpur to attend their court trail despite being certified medically "unfit". The case was eventually postponed.

When Lokman Adam, another detainee, questioned the camp officers why Badrul should be forced to travel, there was a heated argument which resulted in physical contact.

Then, upon their return to the Kamunting camp, the detainees noticed that all the plants grown by Hishamuddin were cleared and destroyed. Hishamuddin was upset and broke a flag pole. In solidarity, the ISA 5 slept o­n the outside corridor for a few days.

The camp commander met with them yesterday morning and the issues of the forced trip to Kuala Lumpur and the clearing of the plants were discussed.

The camp commander apologised and agreed that the authorities had over reacted, according to Xavier.

Serious breach

The Keadilan veep said his party viewed the assault as a serious breach of the rights of ISA detainees.

"Such use of force and high handed behavior, is unnecessary and uncalled for."

"The whole issue could have been resolved peacefully through negotiations," Xavier added.

He also noted that lawyers are not allowed to enter the camp and they are also frequently harassed and threatened with physical abuse by plainclothes officers at the Kamunting camp.