The government is prosecuting its own citizens in order to protect a foreign "corporate coloniser", the Himpunan Hijau steering committee said in a statement yesterday.

 

The environmental activist group, which has been fighting against the Lynas rare earth material plant in Gebeng, Pahang for more than two years now, said that the 15 people who were arrested in a rally near the Lynas plant on June 22, will be charged on Tuesday at the Kuantan court.

 

They were arrested by the police following a heated confrontation with authorities as they refused to budge from a protest demanding that the Lynas plant, which they fear is radioactive in nature, is shut down.

 

"We strongly condemn this action by the police who have infringed the fundamental rights of the people to assemble peacefully in public as provided by the federal constitution," the statement said.

 

Himpunan Hijau claimed that the police had "brutally kicked and beaten up" some of the participants of the rally, and lamented that no action had been taken against the police personnel who have committed the "unacceptable, thug-like" acts.

 

"This action by the police also reflects another blatant abuse of power by the authorities to protect Lynas Corporation who has until today not been brought to justice even though they have committed several violations," it said.

 

It said that among the violations of Lynas include non-compliance with recommendations made by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), breaching terms and conditions of their Temporary Operating License (TOL), and also not having a detailed Environment Assessment Impact (DEIA) in place.

 

"It is obvious that Lynas now has to rely on violence and harassment to keep their plant operational," the statement said. 

 

The fifteen to be charged on Tuesday are as follows: 

 

1. Chong Kong Yuen

2. Hew Kuan Yau

3. Lee Khai Ming

4. Rapar bin Ahmad

5. Raymond Ng bin Abdullah

6. Ta Weng Seng

7. Tan Chee hooi

8. Thomas Wang

9. Wong Tack

10. Zamri b Zanal

11. Phua Kia Yaw

12. Ho Kam Huat

13. Foong Poh Choo

14. Wong Chee Wai

15. Wong Chee Wen