SUARAM 20 Years Defending Human Rights

Suaram is the leading non-governmental human right organization in Malaysia today. It was founded in 1989 by several detainees who had just been released from detention without trial under Operation Lalang together with others whohad campaigned for their release.

Through its twenty years of existence, SUARAM has become the Malaysian human rights centre to which victims of state oppression turn for support and assistance. The organization defends all aspects of human rights especially the freedom from abuse of police powers and law enforcement agencies; freedom of speech and expression; freedom of information : freedom of assembly and association; freedom of religion; the right of minorities, refugees, asylum seekers, migrants and trafficked persons.

SUARAM Is the only human right organization in Malaysia that published a credible and comprehensive human right report every year without fail. The annual SUARAM Malaysia Human Right Report is both objective and non-partisan and is keenly awaited every year by local as well as foreign human right watchers.

The organization has also facilitated some important coalitions among Malaysian NGOs which have contributed to the political tsunami of 8 March 2008 including, the ANTI-ISA movement since 1989; Malaysian Charter on Human Rights in 1993; the Malaysian Human Right Report and stop Bakun Dam campaign in 1995; the peoples tribunal against Police Brutality and the Second Asia Pacific Conference on East Timor in 1996; the people’s Democratic Front (Gagasan Demokrasi Rakyat) in 1998; save our Sungai Selangor and people Before Profit in 2000; Policing the police in 2004.

This brief history of SUARAM serve as a record of the contributions of the young activitists who have served in SUARAM to make a difference to Malaysian society by putting peace, equality, justice, democracy and human rights on the national agenda.