Victims of hate

By Teoh El Sen and Aizat Sharif September 23, 2008 Malay Mail

African undergraduate Abdel Aziz Hassan Abdraman, 22, will never again see his eight-month-old daughter and 19-year-old wife because he was the “victim of a hate crime” that claimed his life.

Abdel Aziz had planned to return home to Chad for Aidilfitri this week and his friends said he was overjoyed at going back to be with his family.

Sunday’s mob attack on 10 African undergraduates in Wangsa Maju caused his death and injured the rest, the victims claimed yesterday.

They said they had been harassed and mocked by the same youths for four consecutive days before the attack.

They further claimed that some youths had even gone up to their Tar Villa apartment and demanded money and cigarettes.

Police confirmed that the victims had been regularly ridiculed by the youths who expressed their displeasure at the increasing presence of Africans in the neighbourhood.

In one incident, a student was also kicked at an Internet café.

Residents and traders have claimed that the number of Africans and other foreigners, mainly students from institutions of higher learning, was growing steadily and that their large number was intimidating.

In Sunday’s incident, HELP University College business studies undergraduate Abdel Aziz was murdered. He sustained stab wounds to the right abdomen and died in the ambulance on the way to Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

Several other students, also from Chad, were injured when they were attacked by some 20 youths wielding metal rods, sticks and knives near the Wangsa Maju LRT station.

Sentul district police chief Assistant Commissioner Zakaria Pagan told Malay Mail that initial investigations revealed that the attack stemmed from the uneasiness of the residents over the behaviour of the Africans.

“We believe the youths who attacked the Africans wanted to teach them a lesson to behave themselves in public.” (And attacking people with metal rods, sticks and knives is GOOD behaviour in public?)

Police have detained three men, in their 20s, from Wangsa Maju to assist in investigations. They will be under remand until Saturday.

Police are also examining closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) images near the LRT station to ascertain the events leading to the attack.

Malay Mail learnt the drama unfolded when three undergraduates were on the way to board the LRT to perform terawih prayers at a nearby mosque at 8.30pm.

They were confronted by some 20 youths who were believed to have hurled abuse at them and demanded money.

When the trio ignored them and walked away, the youths, carrying switch blades, pursued them and struck one of them on the head.

The students took refuge at the LRT station and sought assistance from their African friends living nearby.

Seven of their friends, including Abdel Aziz, went to their aid and together they went back to where the trio was attacked.

Abdel Aziz’s cousin, Abdraman Moussa Mohamat, 23, said: “We asked the youths who were seated at the stalls why they had attacked our friends but they came for us suddenly without saying a word.

“We ran for our lives when they began swinging metal rods, sticks and knives at us. In the fracas, Abdel Aziz was stabbed from the back.”

The mob fled after Abdel Aziz collapsed by the roadside some 15 metres from the stalls.

Lamine Moustapha Ahmat, 22, a Rima College student, said he carried the victim while his friends tried in vain to stop a taxi. Many taxis waiting to pick up LRT commuters refused to budge. A passerby then called for an ambulance.

Note: Abdel Aziz first enrolled with the International Islamic University of Malaysia before switching to HELP University College.

His father, who runs a palm oil import-export business, was informed about the tragedy on Sunday night and his brother will arrive today to claim the remains.

Gua rasa marah bila benda macam ni jadi. Maksud gua street killing macam ni.

Macam dah takde undang-undang. Semua nak ambil jalan singkat dan buat tindakan sendiri.

Nak lagi, berkaitan dengan warna kulit, puak, kaum macam ni. Dengan kata lain, racist.

Yang peliknya, mereka yang kata mereka tu anti-racist bila kena dekat orang lain expecially yang berkulit hitam, cepat-cepat perkataan ‘nigger’ terkeluar dari mulut/tulisan mereka.

Innalillah… kepada arwah dan juga kepada mereka yang berfikiran ‘asobiyah’ sampai begitu sekali.

Kulit hitam tidak menyebabkan mereka boleh diperlakukan sebegitu. Apatah lagi beliau seorang MUSLIM. Nabi s.a.w. mempunyai seorang sahabat agung yang mana beliau r.a. adalah seorang berkulit hitam, Bilal r.a.

Masa gua balik Malaysia awal tahun ni, gua menumpang dekat rumah member gua. Sebuah apartment bersebelahan dengan sebuah kolej swasta. Kat apartment tu ada disediakan sebuah surau. Nak tau sapa yang tolong penuhkan surau tu waktu Subuh? Merekalah, pelajar-pelajar Islam berkulit hitam dari Afrika.

Begitu juga ikut pengalaman gua kat UTP, yang dok rajin memenuhkan surau-surau kat asrama tu, student Afrika yang berkulit hitam tu la.

Itulah yang terjadi bila dunia memenuhi hati-hati manusia apabila disangka yang rezeki aku nanti dapat kat orang lain. Padahal yang mengaku Islam tu mengaku yang rezeki itu datang dari Allah s.w.t.

Itulah yang terjadi bila terbitnya asobiyah dan perkauman menebal di dalam hati. Apa-apa sahaja yang hitam – semuanya jahat dan dikira boleh diperlakukan apa sahaja. Tak kira hang Muslim ke tidak. Syeikh… Orang Islam yang membunuh orang Islam dosanya sangat besar!

“Dan barang siapa yang membunuh seorang mukmin dengan sengaja, maka balasannya ialah Jahanam, kekal ia di dalamnya dan Allah murka kepadanya, dan mengutukinya serta menyediakan azab yang besar baginya.” (An-Nisa:93)
– Namun ‘Ulamaa’ khilaf sama ada ayat ni mansuukh hukumnya atau tidak. Isunya sama ada kekal dalam neraka atau tidak. Dosa besar memang confirm.

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Don’t nurse grudge and don’t bid him out for raising the price and don’t nurse aversion or enmity and don’t enter into a transaction when the others have entered into that transaction and be as fellow-brothers and servants of Allah. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him nor humiliates him nor looks down upon him. The piety is here, (and while saying so) he pointed towards his chest thrice. It is a serious evil for a Muslim that he should look down upon his brother Muslim. All things of a Muslim are inviolable for his brother in faith: his blood, his wealth and his honour. (Sahih Muslim:6219)

Menurut seorang sahabat dari Malaysia, mangsa ialah seorang pelajar UIA.

Innalillah sekali lagi kepada mangsa dan juga penyerang. Semoga Allah s.w.t. mencucuri rahmat ke atas roh arwah dan mengampuni dosa penyerang tersebut.