Singaporean police blocked a leading opposition politician on Saturday from carrying out a protest march against the government's clamp-down on human rights during the IMF-World Bank meetings.
Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Secretary-General Dr. Chee Soon Juan Dr Chee gave an impassioned speech at Speakers' Corner in Hong Lim Park, an area designated by the government for free speech, on Saturday.
But plain-clothes police blocked him from taking his protest to the streets.
A police office approached him, warning; "Dr Chee, I have to advise you again that carrying out a procession without a permit is an offense."
"We will try again to walk." Dr Chee replied, then shouted out: "As citizens we have rights. Only slaves don't have rights. Only slaves are afraid of the government. Today we will mark the birthday. It is the birthday of democracy."
The Singapore authorities came under pressure earlier in the week for their decision to bar 27 representatives of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) from the financial meetings, and for their blanket ban on outdoor protests. They had said there were security concerns about these 27 activists of the 500 accredited by the Bank and Fund.
Singapore still refuses to reverse its policy of zero tolerance to public displays of dissent. But after Bank President Paul Wolfowitz said its "authoritarian" policy had damaged Singapore's own reputation – touching the city's sensitivity over its image as an efficiently run world financial center – authorities said today they would now allow 22 of the 27 activists to enter the country.
The move was welcomed by the World Bank, that said it wants all 27 admitted "without delay" in line with the memorandum of understanding from 3 years ago. The NGO's affected still plan to boycott the meetings.
Singapore has grown from a developing country to an Asian financial leader in the global economy since its independence in '65. But many claim that this growth has brought unreasonable forms of restriction on all forms of basic human rights and political activity. Singapore has long been scolded for its high rate of executions, including that of a young Australian man accused of smuggling. He was executed whilst Australian PM John Howard was led to believe he had successfully negotiated his reprieve only to find the opposite.
The opposition party, the SDA, also accuses the authorities of draconian use of the legal system, claiming that officials frequently use defamation lawsuits to bankrupt political opponents, who are then obliged to leave parliament and are barred from re-election. Dr. Chee himself lost a case against Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and his son Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last Tuesday and was found guilty of defamation. They sued Dr Chee for implying that the Prime Minister was encouraging a corrupt political system.
The Judge awarded the case to the Lees in a summary judgment after she has denied them time to look for another lawyer as theirs had been dismissed due to exhaustion. Summary judgment is a hearing in the judge's chambers where witnesses cannot be called – the Lees could not be put under oath and cross-examined. In other words, the Chees were denied a trial.
Dr. Chee said he will not return home on Saturday night as he believes he will be completely blocked from making his way to Parliament House on Sunday.
Ms. Chee Siok Chin from ARDA - Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia - issued this statement: "As the protesters are not allowed to proceed to the Parliament House at today's Empower Singaporeans Rally & March, they will be holding another rally again tomorrow, but in front of the Parliament House instead of at the Speakers' Corner."
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