After four years, Ladang Bukit Jelutong Rasak villagers were finally recognised for their efforts in battling a plantation giant for proper housing and compensation when they won the Suaram Human Rights Award last Friday.

One of the villagers V Vani, 31, brought this journalist to the flattened and barren land in Selangor that once housed 23 families who were Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad estate workers.

Sitting in an Indian temple, the committee member said nothing would have been possible if not for the help from Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).

"We are extremely happy to have won the award. It gives us more spirit and determination to continue with our struggle."

"When the houses were demolished, we didn't know what to do. It was PSM who came and showed us the way," Vani ( right ) said.

Nothing built yet

Committee president K Kolandaivalu, 49, said the remaining 23 families have moved out from the village and are currently waiting to be relocated to Subang.

However, the planned housing in Subang named 'Denai Alam' has yet to be built despite having reached the settlement with Guthrie officials in December 2005.

"They estimated completion in March 2007 but they have yet to build anything. Our struggle isn't over until we have moved into the flats promised," he said.

Kolandaivalu ( left ) has been a resident in Bukit Jelutong Rasak for 32 years and is the only person who still lives in the village. He is the Indian temple's guardian.

"The children still go to school and the villagers still attend the church and temple here. The land may be flattened but it's my home," he said.

Their struggle began when Guthrie gave a 14-day eviction notice to the villagers on June 26, 2002 but bulldozers soon showed up and demolished more than 40 houses.

The villagers, with the help from PSM, then started their campaign to secure housing and compensation from Guthrie and the Selangor state government by lodging police reports, holding demonstrations and handing over several memorandums.

Musa Hitam helps

The company was later embroiled in a legal battle to remove the 23 remaining families of ex-workers from the estate land in Shah Alam.

The villagers then targetted their appeals at Guthrie chairperson Musa Hitam, who is both a former deputy prime minister and Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) chairperson.

With his intervention, the first negotiation was held on July 8, 2004 and by May 6, 2005, all major issues were resolved.

On January 26, 2006, all 23 families and former Guthrie estate workers moved out and currently receive RM450 per month.

The fate of the village remains undecided as there is a church, temple and a school still in operation. However, it is expected to be turned into an industrial area.

Although the Denai Alam project has yet to even start, Kolandaivalu appeared positive and said they will continue to negotiate should the project there be delayed.

"There is still no decision as to when the project will be completed and what is to happen to the remaining buildings in the village, but we will carry on with our struggle," he added.