Hang the drug mule, release the ringleader?

rachelabsinthe — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:39:08 +0000

This is a story of two very different people working for the same criminal organisation. Although they belong to the same organisation, their roles are very different and so is their fate.

The first person is the boss and the other is a boy who ran criminal errands under the instruction of his boss(es). The former is a Singaporean well known to the authorities possibly as the person behind many drug related activities whereas the other is a small fry from Malaysia, one of the many who is dispensable. Both were arrested at the same time but they are facing very different destinies.

Ever since his arrest, the boss has been held in detention under the Criminal Law (Temporarily Provisions) Act (CLPTA), with initial charges withdrawn due to the ‘difficulty of the evidence’ and is likely to be released in 1 or 2 years’ time. The boy however, being the one caught in the act of drug delivery in a deal arranged by the boss, has been sentenced to the Mandatory Death Penalty (MDP) under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Honestly here is the message I am getting: it seems fine to detain a mastermind of a criminal organisation and hang his mules while his organisation continues its criminal activities and more drug mules (desperate for money thanks to poverty, plain naive or duped) are being offered as sacrificial lambs to create the illusion that one drug deal gets screwed up, one mule hanged = Singapore is on its way to being drug free.

So… this is the law? Then Lady Justice must be crying tears of blood now, that is if she is of flesh and blood.

Anyway yes, the above is the story of Chia Choon Leng and Yong Vui Kong (pictured here) but I hope that the story will not end this way. At the same time, I hope that it raises questions and concern from our society regarding what I personally see as possible imbalances in criminal law and judgement.

A Criminal Motion has been filed on Friday (27 Jan 2012) in Singapore’s Court of Appeal by M Ravi, the lawyer of Vui Kong. In his affidavit, the Attorney-General (AG) might have violated Artical 12(1) of the Constitution of Singapore which guarantees to all persons the equality before the law and equal protection of the law.

First of all, why is there a ‘difficulty of the evidence’ when Chia was identified by Vui Kong in his recorded statement and court statement as the one who had organised the drug delivery that he had made (ref: MR-1, MR-2 and MR-6 in Ravi’s affidavit)? Secondly, even if Vui Kong was unwillingly to identify Chia in court for the safety of his family, it does not mean that there are no evidences pointing to the fact that Chia was part of the operative wing of the organisation because according to Wong Kan Seng in his reply to Sylvia Lim’s query (ref: MR-5 of the affidavit), he mentioned the existence of ‘strong and reliable intelligence implicating an individual of such a drug syndicate’. So why is it impossible to charge Chia based on the evidence(s) gathered by the ‘strong and reliable intelligence’ to put him on trial? Important witnesses like Vui Kong should be protected with anonymity and should not be placed in situations whereby they willingly withhold themselves from stepping up as witnesses due to their worries of possible harm to people dear to them.

How can we claim that equality has taken place when Chia, the person who organised drug deals (and will possibly continue doing so) gets away in due time while his little runners (Vui Kong was and is not the only one) were and are killed ‘in the name of law’? I do not see any equality here (neither do I see equality in R Ramalingam‘s case too) and I think that the Court of Appeal should think through before they dismiss Ravi’s argument because we are talking about life and death here, and especially that of a young man who is just 24.

I am not hoping that Chia ends up facing the gallows and neither am I saying that Vui Kong should not be punished. My hope is for Vui Kong’s death sentence to be commuted and replaced with imprisonment, as well as for the Court of Appeal to realise the imbalance of the law (this is how I see it).

I am against the death penalty (which has been repeated ad nauseam) and I think it should be replaced with a more rehabilitative method of incarceration instead. I also believe that every alleged criminal should be given a proper trial and any form of detention without trial should be abolished. I also think that the legal system should be constantly re-examined, in a quest to strive for better equality and real justice in the name of law (that’s how I put it as a layman I guess).

Reporters Without Borders – Press Freedom Index 2011-2012: Singapore 135th

rachelabsinthe — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:10:31 +0000

01-25-2012

Violence and censorship on the rise in Asia

Violence and impunity persist in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Philippines, more repression in Sri Lanka, Vietnam and China

In Afghanistan (150^th) and Pakistan (151^st), violence remained the main concern for journalists, who were under constant threat from the Taliban, religious extremists, separatist movements and political groups. With 10 deaths in 2011, Pakistan was the world’s deadliest country for journalists for the second year in a row.

In the Philippines (140th), which rose again in the index after falling in 2010 as a result of the massacre of 32 journalists in Ampatuan in November 2009, paramilitary groups and private militias continued to attack media workers. The judicial investigation into the Ampatuan massacre made it clear that the response of the authorities was seriously inadequate.

Journalists continued to be exposed to violence in Bangladesh (129^th) and Nepal (106^th), although less than in the past. In Nepal, journalists were regularly subjected to threats from rival political groups and their supporters. In Bangladesh, opposition groups and the ruling Awami League took turns to attack and obstruct the press. Despite genuine media pluralism, the law allows the government to maintain excessive control over the media and the Internet.

In Nepal, a decline in attacks by Maoist groups in the south and greater efficiency on the part of the justice system account for the modest improvement in the country’s ranking. However, press freedom was marred by threats and attacks by politicians and armed groups throughout the year.

Authoritarianism and ambivalence at the bottom of the index

Freedom of information worsened considerably in two Asian countries under authoritarian rule.

China, which has more journalists, bloggers and cyber-dissidents in prison than any other country, stepped up its censorship and propaganda in 2011 and tightened its control of the Internet, particularly the blogosphere. The first protest movements in Arab countries and the ensuing calls for democracy in China’s main cities set off a wave of arrests with no end yet in sight.

In the autonomous regions of Tibet, Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang, protests by minorities regularly gave rise to a harsh crackdown by the authorities. In Beijing and Shanghai, international correspondents were particular targets of the security forces and had to work under the continual threat of expulsion or having their visas withdrawn. Journalists were prevented from covering most of the events that threatened China’s stability or might have given it a negative image.

Vietnam (172^nd) appeared to follow China’s repressive lead and fell seven places. Politically committed journalists and pro-democracy bloggers were harassed by the authorities while the courts continued to invoke state security to hand out prison sentences ranging from two to seven years. The blogger Pham Minh Hoang, for example, was sentenced to three years in prison and three years under house arrest on 10 August on a charge of trying to overthrow the government.

In Sri Lanka (163^rd), the stranglehold of the Rajapakse clan forced the last few opposition journalists to flee the country. Any that stayed behind were regularly subjected to harassment and threats. Attacks were less common but impunity and official censorship of independent news sites put an end to pluralism and contributed more than ever to self-censorship by almost all media outlets.

Burma (169^th) showed signs of beginning to carry out reforms including partial amnesties and a reduction in prior censorship, but it remained largely under the control of an authoritarian government run by former members of the military junta reinvented as civilian politicians. Less than 10 of its journalists remain in prison at the start of 2012.

In North Korea (178^th), although news and information was able to move across its borders to a greater extent, no one knows whether this will continue under Kim Jong-un, the son and heir of Kim Jong-il. The dynastic succession, the dominance of the military machine and the government’s desire for power give no grounds for optimism.

At the top, the good boys turn bad

Those who are traditionally good performers did not shine in 2011. With New Zealand’s fall to 13^th position, no country in the Asia-Pacific region figured among the top 10 in the index. Hong Kong (54^th) saw a sharp deterioration in press freedom in 2011 and its ranking fell sharply. Arrests, assaults and harassment worsened working conditions for journalists to an extent not seen previously, a sign of a worrying change in government policy.

In Australia (30^th), the media were subjected to investigations and criticism by the authorities, and were denied access to information, while in Japan (22^nd) coverage of the tsunami and the Fukushima nuclear accident gave rise to excessive restrictions and exposed the limits of the pluralism of the country’s press.

Causes for concern

In India (131^st), journalists were exposed to violence stemming from the persistent conflicts in the states of Chhattisgarh and Jammu and Kashmir. The threat from mafia groups operating in the main cities of the coutnry also contributed to self-censorship. However, the authorities were no better. In May, they unveiled the “Information Technology Rules 2011,” which have dangerous implications for online freedom of expression. Foreign reporters saw their visa requests turned down or were pressured to provide positive coverage.

In Indonesia, an army crackdown in West Papua province, where at least two journalists were killed, five kidnapped and 18 assaulted in 2011, was the main reason for the country’s fall to 146^th position in the index. A corrupt judiciary that is too easily influenced by politicians and pressure groups and government attempts to control the media and Internet have prevented the development of a freer press.

Illegal detention and intimidation in Mongolia (100^th) and the Maldives (73^rd) showed up the weakness of press freedom there. A climate of religious intolerance prevailed in the Maldives, where media organizations were subjected to threats by the authorities and had to deal with an Islamic affairs ministry bent on imposing the Sharia to the detriment of free expression.

________________________________

In the rest of the world:

Crackdowns on protests cause big changes to index positions

Syria, Bahrain and Yemen get worst ever rankings

“This year’s index sees many changes in the rankings, changes that reflect a year that was incredibly rich in developments, especially in the Arab world,” Reporters Without Borders said today as it released its 10th annual press freedom index. “Many media paid dearly for their coverage of democratic aspirations or opposition movements. Control of news and information continued to tempt governments and to be a question of survival for totalitarian and repressive regimes. The past year also highlighted the leading role played by netizens in producing and disseminating news.

“Crackdown was the word of the year in 2011. Never has freedom of information been so closely associated with democracy. Never have journalists, through their reporting, vexed the enemies of freedom so much. Never have acts of censorship and physical attacks on journalists seemed so numerous. The equation is simple: the absence or suppression of civil liberties leads necessarily to the suppression of media freedom. Dictatorships fear and ban information, especially when it may undermine them.

“It is no surprise that the same trio of countries, Eritrea, Turkmenistan and North Korea, absolute dictatorships that permit no civil liberties, again occupy the last three places in the index. This year, they are immediately preceded at the bottom by Syria, Iran and China, three countries that seem to have lost contact with reality as they have been sucked into an insane spiral of terror, and by Bahrain and Vietnam, quintessential oppressive regimes. Other countries such as Uganda and Belarus have also become much more repressive.

“This year’s index finds the same group of countries at its head, countries such as Finland, Norway and Netherlands that respect basic freedoms. This serves as a reminder that media independence can only be maintained in strong democracies and that democracy needs media freedom. It is worth noting the entry of Cape Verde and Namibia into the top twenty, two African countries where no attempts to obstruct the media were reported in 2011.”

Protest movements

The Arab world was the motor of history in 2011 but the Arab uprisings have had contrasting political outcomes so far, with Tunisia and Bahrain at opposite ends of the scale. Tunisia (134th) rose 30 places in index and, with much suffering, gave birth to a democratic regime that has not yet fully accepted a free and independent press. Bahrain (173rd) fell 29 places because of its relentless crackdown on pro-democracy movements, its trials of human rights defenders and its suppression of all space for freedom.

While Libya (154th) turned the page on the Gaddafi era, Yemen succumbed to violence between President Ali Abdallah Saleh’s opponents and supporters and languished in 171st position. The future of both of these countries remains uncertain, and the place they will allow the media is undecided. The same goes for Egypt, which fell 39 places to 166th because the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, in power since February, dashed the hopes of democrats by continuing the Mubarak dictatorship’s practices. There were three periods of exceptional violence for journalists: in February, November and December.

Already poorly ranked in 2010, Syria fell further in the index, to 176th position, because total censorship, widespread surveillance, indiscriminate violence and government manipulation made it impossible for journalists to work.

Elsewhere in the world, pro-democracy movements that tried to follow the Arab example were ruthlessly suppressed. Many arrests were made in Vietnam (172nd). In China (174th), the government responded to regional and local protests and to public impatience with scandals and acts of injustice by feverishly reinforcing its system of controlling news and information, carrying out extrajudicial arrests and stepping up Internet censorship. There was a dramatic rise in the number of arrests in Azerbaijan (162nd), where Ilham Aliyev’s autocratic government did not hesitate to jail netizens, abduct opposition journalists and bar foreign reporters in order to impose a news blackout on the unrest.

Led by President Yoweri Museveni, Uganda (139th) launched an unprecedented crackdown on opposition movements and independent media after the elections in February. Similarly, Chile (80th) fell 47 places because of its many freedom of information violations, committed very often by the security forces during student protests. The United States (47th) also owed its fall of 27 places to the many arrests of journalist covering Occupy Wall Street protests.

Several European countries fall far behind rest of continent

The index has highlighted the divergence of some European countries from the rest of the continent. The crackdown on protests after President Lukashenko’s reelection caused Belarus to fall 14 places to 168th. At a time when it is portraying itself as a regional model, Turkey (148th) took a big step backwards and lost 10 places. Far from carrying out promised reforms, the judicial system launched a wave of arrests of journalists that was without precedent since the military dictatorship.

Within the European Union, the index reflects a continuation of the very marked distinction between countries such as Finland and Netherlands that have always had a good evaluation and countries such as Bulgaria (80th), Greece (70th) and Italy (61st) that fail to address the issue of their media freedom violations, above all because of a lack of political will. There was little progress from France, which went from 44th to 38th, or from Spain (39th) and Romania (47th). Media freedom is a challenge that needs addressing more than ever in the Balkans, which want to join the European Union but are suffering the negative effects of the economic crisis.

Endemic violence

Many countries are marked by a culture of violence towards the media that has taken a deep hold. It will be hard to reverse the trends in these countries without an effective fight against impunity. Mexico (149th) and Honduras (135th) are two cases in point. Pakistan (151st) was the world’s deadliest country for journalists for the second year running. Somalia (164th), which has been at war for 20 years, shows no sign of finding a way out of the chaos in which journalists are paying a heavy price.

In Iran (175th), hounding and humiliating journalists has been part of officialdom’s political culture for years. The regime feeds on persecution of the media. Iraq (152nd) fell back 22 places and is now worryingly approaching its 2008 position (158th).

Noteworthy changes

South Sudan, a new nation facing many challenges, has entered the index in a respectable position (111th) for what is a breakaway from one of the worst ranked countries, Sudan (170th). Burma (169th) has a slightly better position than in previous years as a result of political changes in recent months that have raised hopes but need to be confirmed. Niger (29th) achieved the biggest rise in a single year, 75 places, thanks to a successful political transition.

It was Africa that also saw the biggest falls in the index. Djibouti, a discreet little dictatorship in the Horn of Africa, fell 49 places to 159th. Malawi (146th) fell 67 places because of the totalitarian tendencies of its president, Bingu Wa Mutharika. Uganda, mentioned above, fell 43 places to 139th. Finally, Côte d’Ivoire fell 41 places to 159th because the media were badly hit by the fighting between the supporters of rival presidents Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara.

The biggest fall in Latin America was by Brazil, which plunged 41 places to 99th because the high level of violence resulted in the deaths of three journalists and bloggers.

–
Benjamin Ismaïl

Head of Asia-Pacific Desk

Reporters Without Borders

Paris – France

+33 1 44 83 84 70

Website: http://en.rsf.org/asia,2.html

PDF file: World Press Freedom Index 2012

Human Rights Watch – Singapore: Stop Hiding Behind Old Excuses

rachelabsinthe — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:48:27 +0000

Singapore: Stop Hiding Behind Old Excuses

Civil and Political Rights Getting Short Shift

(New York, January 23, 2012) – The Singapore government should cease violating fundamental free e

xpression rights citing self-serving historical and cultural justifications that only tarnish Singapore’s global image, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2012.

Singapore’s rights record went before the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process in May 2011. The government either rejected outright or contested the premises of many recommendations for improve

“Singapore’s claims of exemption from human rights standards are just lame excuses for abuses,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The people of Singapore deserve the same rights as everyone else, not more clever stories justifying government oppression.”ments in civil and political rights. Concerns cited included the use of preventive detention, the use of defamation suits to silence critics, restrictions on public protests, regular use of corporal punishment for a wide range of crimes, and criminalization of same-sex relations between men.

In its World Report 2012, Human Rights Watch assessed progress on human rights during the past year in more than 90 countries, including popular uprisings in the Arab world that few would have imagined. Given the violent forces resisting the “Arab Spring,” the international community has an important role to play in assisting the formation of rights-respecting democracies, Human Rights Watch said in the report.

In Singapore, the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) remained in power in 2011 in an election that saw the party garner its lowest winning margin since it took power in 1959.

The government maintained virtually unlimited powers to detain suspects without charge or judicial review, using the Internal Security Act and the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act. These laws have been used to incarcerate outspoken activists for prolonged periods without trial, as well as criminal suspects who should be charged under the penal code. In dealing with terrorism suspects, the government should use the criminal code to prosecute in accordance with international due process standards, Human Rights Watch said.

The Singapore government also kept tight control over broadcast, radio, and print media, using a web of interlocking laws and policies that enable censorship and control over media, films, video, music, sound recordings, and computer games. The Newspaper and Printing Presses Act requires publications to renew registration annually and gives government officials a free hand to control circulation of foreign publications that allegedly “engage in the domestic politics of Singapore.”

The right to freedom of association is also sharply curtailed. The Registrar of Societies is empowered to deny registration to associations of 10 or more members on the grounds of being “prejudicial to public peace, welfare or good order.” Police permits are required for any public event involving five or more people. And the government uses contempt of court, criminal and civil defamation, and sedition charges to rein in critics.

Police rejected an application by the advocacy group Singaporeans for Democracy to hold a “Singaporeans United Against Racism” rally at the Speaker’s Corner, a legally designated spot for rallies, on December 10, International Human Rights Day.

On July 9 the 76-year old British author Alan Shadrake completed his contempt of court sentence for “scandalizing the judiciary” by alleging in his book, Once a Jolly Hangman: Singapore Justice in the Dock, that the ruling party had interfered in court decisions involving capital punishment. He was immediately deported.

“Use of court sanctions for criminal defamation or ‘scandalizing the judiciary’ discourages Singaporeans and foreigners alike from digging too deeply into problems of Singaporean governance,” Robertson said.

The government also maintains mandatory death sentences for 20 drug-related offenses and judicial sentences that include caning, which amounts to torture. Both punishments should be banned for being in violation of international law, Human Rights Watch said. The government should also repeal antiquated British colonial laws on same-sex relations that are discriminatory and an invasion of privacy.

Singapore took measures to improve rights protections for the approximately 196,000 foreign domestic workers in the country, Human Rights Watch said. But the government should take the next step and ensure that these workers are included under the Employment Act so they can fully access their rights under law.

“Singapore’s leaders may sometimes listen to the electorate’s concerns over social and economic rights, but they are apparently deaf to pleas for political space to organize and speak out without fear of prosecution,” Robertson said. “It’s telling that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his 2012 New Year’s message didn’t say a single word about civil and political rights.”

**To read Human Rights Watch’s World Report 2012 chapter on Singapore, please visit:**
http://www.hrw.org/world-report-2012/singapore

For more Human Rights Watch reporting on Singapore, please visit:
http://www.hrw.org/asia/singapore

For more information, please contact:
In Bangkok, Phil Robertson (English, Thai): +66-85-060-8406; or robertp@hrw.org
In New York, Mickey Spiegel (English): +1-212-216-1229; or spiegem@hrw.org
In London, Brad Adams (English): +44-7908-728-333 (mobile); or adamsb@hrw.org

Cheers to life! – An update on Noor Atiqah

rachelabsinthe — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:07:55 +0000

In March 2011, we received the unfortunate news of Noor Atiqah, a Singaporean single mother, who was sentenced to death in Malaysia. We visited the family and friends who came together as a united front to raise funds for her legal battle against the cruel sentence and never once did they waver in their belief that she was innocent. Their efforts paid off and they managed to hire the service of Malaysian lawyer Gobind Singh Deo to appeal against the sentence on Atiqah’s behalf. You can read about Atiqah’s story here, and a report on her appeal here.

Today, I am extremely delighted to provide the update that her death sentence has been overturned and replaced by 12 years of imprisonment instead. It is a joyous piece of news to celebrate upon and I congratulate her family, friends and lawyers for their achievement. Although I believe that Atiqah does not deserve a single day in prison for she was being set up unknowingly (there is a history of similar cases happening in the region involving Nigerian drug syndicates), having the unjustified death sentence overturned means that she will be able to hold her daughter in her arms once again when she finishes her prison sentence in Malaysia.

I am truly happy for her, the team behind Save Atiqah as well as her young daughter. Congratulations to Atiqah, her family and friends.

To Malaysia: at least you have proven to be more progressive than your neighbour down south.

Cheers to life!

Happy Birthday, Vui Kong

rachelabsinthe — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:03:32 +0000

About 80 friends gathered at Speakers’ Corner on Sunday to celebrate Yong Vui Kong’s 24th birthday with campaigners from We Believe in Second Chances and Singapore Anti-Death Penalty Campaign. It was a good crowd comprising of both familiar and new faces.

Through his lawyer M Ravi, Vui Kong thanked everyone for coming together to celebrate his birthday and expressed that he would be meditating at the time of the event to be with us in spirit. In his speech, Ravi also told us that Vui Kong might have only a few more weeks left – a piece of news that was received by many of us with a heavy heart.

However we still hope for the best and will continue to commit to fighting against his (mandatory) death sentence as much as we can, along with our advocacy work for the abolishment of the death penalty in Singapore.

The following is a letter we have written to Vui Kong. It was read out by Damien from We Believe in Second Chance and signed by the attendees.

Dear Vui Kong,

Your story has touched us all and we have you in our thoughts. We are all gathered here today to celebrate your birthday. But we are also here to remember your life and what you have done, the good and the bad.

Vui Kong, no one here denies that you have made a mistake in life. It is a mistake that is grave, and it has probably affected the lives of others in ways that we cannot imagine.

But we simply cannot accept that the punishment you deserve is death.

Many who do not understand our cause will think that we are advocating for your release. That cannot be any more untrue. The second chance that we want your to have is a second chance at making things right. What can be better if you can help us prevent many others from stepping down the same path as you did. What better way to solve the drug problem than to educate, and to make people aware. This you have promised to do. And we want to help you fulfil that promise.

To those who think that executing you, and the many others on death row, would help solve the drug problem, we can only hope that they can place themselves in your position, and realise the difficulties you faced which eventually led you to make that horrible mistake. If they could only know you and your story, maybe they will change their minds , maybe they will think again.

Its is a difficult road to go through, but we are all behind you.

We also want you to know that your love for your mother has touched us all. Vui Kong, do not worry, we have her in our thoughts as well.

Happy birthday Vui Kong.

Dear Vui Kong, Happy Birthday

No Logic in Death – Happy 24th Birthday Vui Kong

Heartfelt thanks

rachelabsinthe — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:00:16 +0000

I am terrible at public speaking so when faced with speaking to a room full of people, the words usually do not come out as planned. This is why I think I’d better pen it down on my blog.

First of all, I thank The Online Citizen for recognising the efforts of activists in Singapore, especially the ones who are working on campaigns against the death penalty and Internal Security Act (ISA). It came as a surprise when I was notified by Ravi Philemon via email about their decision to present me with the TOC award for “Activist of the Year” because I felt (and still feel so) that there are others who are more deserving than I. Nevertheless, it was a heartwarming gesture.

I would like to dedicate this award to my fellow friends and colleagues in activism (SADPC) who I have worked closely with over the years, especially human rights lawyer M Ravi for he has been an inspirational figure in my life with the determination and tremendous effort he has been putting into the legal battles for a more humane society as well as a very good friend armed with a listening ear and encouraging words when obstacles appear. This dedication also goes out to Post Museum, TOC, publichouse.sg and friends from all across the various opposition political parties and groups such as Think Centre and We Believe in Second Chances for their solidarity, support and collaborations over the years. The work is never mine alone, hence this award is not mine alone as well. It really goes out to everyone (yes Alan Shadrake, you too).

Although this path is not one that is always smooth sailing, with obstacles such as police harassment, email threats from anonymous strangers, and negative reactions towards our work coming from some of our family members, relatives and personal friends, I do believe that we will not waver easily.

No, we shall not waver.

Please wake up.

rachelabsinthe — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:28:42 +0000

When I made the decision to accept a huge paycut by becoming an early childhood educator, it was because I wanted to contribute to social change through teaching. I lost my peace at home for awhile because my parents thought that with my qualifications, I should teach in a primary or secondary school instead of little children. Many other people thought so too and it did not help when many parents treated me like a high class nanny who clean their shit for them, especially those who used to throw their sleeping children in my arms, dripping diapers included and laughed or “Oops!” with a smile on their workaholic faces as they ran away to their shiny and expensive cars.

Together with my fellow early childhood educators, we are subjected to eternal lectures of how important passion is by MCYS, the Government and sometimes, our employers, who forget that we are human beings who have people to feed/ support too, besides ourselves. They have sometimes forgotten that we also need leisure and rest in our lives too, especially MCYS, who made a requirement that childcare centres must be open on Saturdays til 2pm. But we continue to stay in this sector because we genuinely believe in the importance of early childhood education and its role in shaping what the society in future might be like.

However I think that if educators continue to be unappreciated, abused and treated like uneducated nappy changers, then perhaps in 20 years, there might no longer be new educators joining the early childhood sector anymore.

(Note to early childhood educators: Time to call for a salary increment and better treatment as a sector!)

By the way, socio-political activists in Singapore are working towards a better and more caring society with no care of not getting a single cent for their work. They have also lost their privacy, thanks to the media and people who were hired to follow us. Some of them face very negative and sometimes violent reactions from their families, as well as the possibility of being suddenly asked to leave their companies. They also face constant harassment by the authorities because they choose to stand up and speak up against the system. Yet they continue doing what they do with the passion and hard work.

So honestly people, who have you voted to SERVE YOU – politicians who are genuine, or the ones who think that they should be paid higher because they are holier than thou?

(Note: I have no issue with the Ministers’ wee pay-cut, that is if they continue to review it annually.)

Celebrate Vui Kong’s 24th birthday with us!

rachelabsinthe — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:53:31 +0000

When the Singapore Anti-Death Penalty Campaign first began the campaign in October 2009, Vui Kong was 21. Fast forward to this brand new year, Vui Kong will turn 24 on 19 January. Although we do not know much about the future, events in the past have been positive and remarkable. It is thanks to the hard work of human rights lawyer M Ravi who has been so dedicated in trying to keep Vui Kong alive that we are able to see him turning 24.

This journey since October 2009 has taught me so much about the legal system, the need for solidarity, support and sharing of knowledge among activists and brought about challenging discussions and debates with people who are not in agreement with the cause. This journey has also opened my eyes to better understand the stories behind each crime, and how education and information dissemination is crucial in crime prevention. I certainly will not give up, and I am sure my fellow colleagues who have been working on advocating for the abolishment of the mandatory death penalty and the death penalty will be as committed to the cause as they have always been.

Together with We Believe in Second Chances, we will be celebrating Vui Kong’s 24th birthday on 15 January at Speakers’ Corner. The event will begin at 4pm. Let’s come together in celebration and to renew our support for Vui Kong, who is currently still on the death row. For more information or to inform us of your attendance, do check out our event page on Facebook.

Hope to see you there!

An eventful December (a long scribble of stuff)

rachelabsinthe — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 03:08:53 +0000

December came and went in a flash, but it was hardly insignificant nor was it boring. Due to a very hectic schedule, writing regularly on my blog became rather difficult but now I shall take my time to pen my thoughts on the events past.

1. Slutwalk Singapore – 4 Dec

Just weeks before it was about to take place, the organisers of Slutwalk Singapore were contacted by NParks and subsequently the police, requesting for a police permit to be applied. During the correspondence, the organisers were told that a permit was required because this is a global issue, which is also sensitive at the same time. Because it was seen as a global issue, the police expected foreigners to participate in the event. Besides that, one of the fringe events “Slutscreen” (a private film screening) did not manage to happen as planned because they were also requested to send the films to MDA for approval. The organisers complied with the requests and went on to apply for a police permit which was eventually granted after lengthy correspondences back and forth. They even managed to get the permit fee waived, after writing an appeal to Homes Affairs Minister Teo Chee Hean.

As an activist myself, who have experienced holding events at Speakers’ Corner for both local and global issues, I do feel that what they went through was highly unnecessary. First of all, NParks usually make the call soon after an application is made and I am privy to the fact that an NParks registration for the event took place more than a month before the organisers were contacted. By then, they have already organised a line-up of several events and have generated a lot of publicity online as well as in the mainstream media. Was it an action made to incite fear in people they perceived as “newbies”? Or do they just want to prevent women from getting together to speak out against being objectified (which happens on a daily basis) and being blamed unreasonably when rape happens because they are guilty of doing so themselves? :p

Secondly, under the terms and conditions on the use of Speakers’ Corner, the organisers and speakers must be Singaporeans with speeches made in the 4 main languages of Singapore or related dialect. It is also stated that the events carried out must not be directly or indirectly related to race or religion. Now it is quite clear that Slutwalk is not talking about race or religion nor was it organised by foreigners. If the police are so worried sick that foreigners may participate in the event, perhaps they should make it their task to blatantly check the IDs of everyone who attend in order to be honest about how serious (and draconian) they are regarding this. The thing that annoys me: foreigners can contribute to Singapore’s GDP, be sold as mail-order brides to lonely old men, praise the country freely, but they can never criticise or participate in human rights events organised by individuals or groups here without having the organisers harassed. Aren’t they part of our community as well, given all the talk about integration and accepting their presence in our midst?

Anyway I am glad that Slutwalk happened despite the misunderstood opinions of many and the police harassment. Kudos to the organisers and volunteers! It addressed (and continually so) a very important issue that many in society thinks is trivial or unimportant. Women’s morality have always been judged based on their chastity, yet they have always been objectified based on what they wear and how they look. Girls have been brought up to fear being violated, to be responsible for preventing violation from happening, yet they have been exposed to the idea that to be cool is to be sexy and to be popular is to be beautiful (all these brainless shit that does not encourage intellectual development) through toys, cartoon characters, movies and magazines… sigh.

Well… I have so many things I want to talk about regarding this issue but I guess I will keep it for another time.

2. Commemorating Human Rights Day – 10 Dec

For the very first time, some individuals and groups who have been working on social issues in Singapore have collaborated to commemorate Human Rights Day. It was a really wonderful experience and there was a positive atmosphere at the event. Although we may not work on the same issues or use the same methods in our advocacy, we respect and support each others’ existence. This show of solidarity and friendship among civil society here needs to continue through such collaborations, sharing of resources and regular meet – ups in order to strengthen each others’ ability to work towards our goals in promoting our various human rights causes. Hopefully, next year’s event will be a bigger one, with more groups and individuals joining us!

3. Bukit Brown Cemetery

I am not an ancestor worshipper nor am I an idol worshipper. However I do believe that nature, history and heritage as well as the resting place of the dead should be respected, not destroyed. Especially not in the name of urbanisation.

Besides that, Bukit Brown Cemetery is a really beautiful place where one can enjoy a lovely hike on a weekend morning. Walking among so much greenery, hearing the songs of birds, seeing butterflies fluttering around and discovering the existence of plants and insects that we do not usually see in our urban neighbourhoods can be a really enriching experience. Furthermore, many of the tombs at Bukit Brown reflects the culture and to a certain extent, eccentricities of those who now rest below the tombs. There is always this saying that Singapore does not have its own culture, but the truth is, we are continually destroying what is cultural for capitalistic reasons.

Isn’t it sad?

(I will be writing more about Bukit Brown in a separate blog post, with photos taken from my visit)

4. SMRT

It was amusing to hear people being so mad at SMRT for all the train faults and delays lately. Is this a sign that Singaporeans are finally becoming more vocal? Well perhaps so, but most people are only lamenting because it affected them and because they just need a reason to make some noise. While I am not saying that everyone who have expressed their frustrations or opinions are not sincere, most of them are. It is a good thing but yet it makes me kind of sad that people only speak up when things affect them directly, or when it becomes a hot topic to propel popularity or generate more Facebook “likes”. What about other issues related to human rights, transparency of the government and companies linked to them, our nuclear and arms trade with certain countries etc etc?

Right, back to the issue. I think Singapore should stop proclaiming its public transportation service as having the first world standards, because it has proven otherwise, where the last check of the tracks being made 10 years ago (you kidding me??). I also feel that if SMRT had been more efficient with their announcements to commuters, more humble about themselves and more sincere with their apologies instead of the arrogant “wait for our official statement and announcement” sort of attitude, the general public will perhaps be more forgiving towards them.

And I do think that they should think twice before their next fare increment.

Media release: 400 copies of Singapore Sucks! have been held from entering Singapore

rachelabsinthe — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:58:04 +0000

(Update – 17 Dec 2011): The organizers of the “Singapore Sucks!” book launch appreciates that the MDA has come forth with a statement in My Paper dated 16th December 2011, to address the issues raised.

MDA has stated that their decision to review the book is due to a “discrepancy in titles”, which is in concordance to our earlier understanding. We are actively working on compliance with MDA’s processes a…nd are pending some clarifications from them.

Additionally, we are pleased to learn that copies of the book are once again available at Kinokuniya outlets, and we shall continue working hard to bring it to a bookshop near you.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank thank everyone for the heartwarming support that came from all quarters when news of this issue broke.

We hereby dedicate the book to all Singaporeans and hope you have as much fun reading it as we had in bringing it to you.

(Update – 14 Dec 2011): The organisers of the Singapore Sucks! Book Launch have just received notice that all 400 copies have been allowed passage into Singapore and have arrived safely at the book importer’s premises.

Additionally, MDA has requested for one copy of Singapore Sucks! to be sent to them for review.

The organisers are prepared… to cooperate with MDA’s due processes and as such will be sending over to them a copy as per their request.

However, since Kinokuniya has removed the books from their shelves based on earlier developments, the organisers will be seeking additional clarifications as to whether sales can still go on locally during this interim period.

(Update – 13 Dec 2011): Copies of Singapore Sucks! have been taken down from the bookshelves at Kinokuniya. A Kinokuniya employee who declined to be named confirmed that ‘MDA is investigating’.”

12 December 2011

The organisers of the book launch for Singapore Sucks! were informed that MDA (Media Development Authority) has contacted the book importer who was supposed to take delivery of the 400 copies of Singapore Sucks!.

The copies were expected to arrive on Thursday, the 8th of December, to faciliate the launch on the 11th. However, all 400 copies have been held back from entering Singapore since Thursday.

The organisers were not privy to the conversation between the book importer and MDA, but understand that the title has attracted MDA’s attention, and approval has not yet been granted to allow passage of the books into Singapore. The organisers were also informed that MDA might be paying bookseller Kinokuniya, who has been selling Singapore Sucks! for the past few months, a visit. The organisers are not dismissing the possibility that Singapore Sucks! may be removed from the shelves.