An Orang Asli community, a group of pro-democracy students and campaigners against a mega-incinerator are in the running for the 2005 Human Rights Award.

The three are nominees for the award to be announced this Friday by rights organisation Suaram.

"The Suaram Human Rights Award, initiated in 1999, is awarded annually to honour a community or group who has struggle relentlessly in defence of their human rights," said Suaram project manager S Arutchelvan.

The winner will be picked by a nine-member panel of judges.

Among this year's nominees is the Temuan community of Kampung Bukit Tampoi.

According to Arutchelvan, the Temuans are the first Orang Asli community to challenge the government and the private sector for the recognition of their rights to their traditional lands.

"Their legal battle has been on-going for 10 years and their rights have thus far been upheld in the High Court and the Court of Appeal."

Fight against mega-incinerator

A group of local universities students who have stood up to protest against irregularities of the campus elections has also been nominated for the award.

"The group has been campaigning for free and fair campus elections and the abolishment of the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA). To date, 10 among them have been punished with disciplinary actions by their respective universities," said Arutchelvan.

Also nominated is the No Incinerator Action Committee in Broga, a small village located south of Kuala Lumpur.

"The committee was set up to protest and to stop the government from building the RM1.5-billion mega-incinerator which could bring about environmental devastation. In the past three years, various actions including gatherings and legal recourse - have been taken by the committee to advance their cause."

The award is in conjunction with the World Human Rights Day, which is commemorated globally on December 10.

Previous winners of the human rights award were the villagers of Kuala Kuang from Perak and the workers of Euromedical Industry from Kedah (2004), Ladang Braemar Workers (2003), Human Rights and Police Watch Committee (2002), the Damansara Save Our School Committee and the ISA family support group (2001), the Reformasi movement (2000) and the Kampung Sungai Nipah community for fighting against eviction (1999).

On the day of the award, Suaram will also be launching its Malaysia Civil and Political Rights Report Executive Summary 2005.