24 Aug 2006

Anti-IMF protestors to shun Singapore for Indonesia

Singapore (ANTARA News) - Over 2,000 activists who plan protests at the IMF and World Bank conference in Singapore next month said they will hold their rallies on a nearby Indonesian island because of Singapore's ban on demonstrations.

Trade unionists, farmers and activists from Jubilee South, a network of non-governmental organisations, plan to demonstrate on Batam, less than an hour by boat from Singapore, participating in a worldwide protest linking 350 activist groups in 74 countries.

"Since Singapore doesn't respect the rights of people to express their views, we are moving the demonstrations to Batam, where there is more democratic space," Lidya Nacpil, international coordinator of Jubilee South, told Reuters on Wednesday.

The group is already in touch with Indonesia about logistics, she said.

Anti-globalisation activists usually gather at similar international summits, but Singapore will make no exceptions to its ban on demonstrations and has said it will arrest lawbreakers and cane vandals.

Public protests are rare in Singapore. Any public gathering of more than four people requires a police permit and a person convicted of unlawful assembly can be fined up to S$1,000 ($650).

Caning is commonly used as punishment for offences ranging from vandalism to drugs. Offenders are strapped to an A-shaped wooden frame and lashed across the bare buttocks by a professional caner with a rattan rod.

In 1994, Singapore made international headlines when it caned American teenager Michael Fay for spray-painting cars.

Singapore, which expects over 16,000 delegates and officials to descend on the city-state for the Sept. 11-20 World Bank/IMF meeting, has said outdoor protests are banned because they could be exploited by terrorist groups to stage attacks.

Indoor protests allowed

The city-state has only conceded that it would allow indoor protests within a designated area in the lobby of the conference venue. The lobby area is smaller than a football field.

According to guidelines issued by the police, activist groups must not move out of the designated areas, and are not allowed to use sound amplification systems or burn items or behave in a manner that would "provoke a breach of peace".

Protesters must also be properly attired at all times.

The World Bank has said outdoor protests should be allowed during the conference, but Singapore police said they would not waive the current rules.

"The Bank's preference for these meetings and all others has been to seek space for civil society to protest peacefully outside. That remains our preferred position," Peter Stephens, spokesman for World Bank Singapore, said in a statement.

Some groups said they plan to organise indoor seminars.

"We still need to maximise our space and make ourselves heard, so we will be organising seminars at hotels around the conference centre to discuss issues such as agrarian reforms," said Indra Lubis, a project assistant at La Via Campesina (The Peasant Way), an international group which represents over 80 million farmers worldwide.

"But frankly, it is not a very effective way to voice our concerns. How are the delegates going to hear us when we are put in separate rooms?" (*)



9 comments:

Anonymous said...

those guys are wimping out? hold protest in Batam? what for?

would there be enough of them even to fill the lobby? pretty hard, and expensive, to find accommodation here during the meeting

Capt_Canuck said...

How many prison/holding cells are there in Singapore? I mean, I always have just heard of Changi Prison where people are held before being beaten or murdered (murdered or executed, different words, same meaning in my mind but that is a horse of a different colour). From what I gathered about Changi is that it was designed to house 600 people, though during the Japanese occupation they managed to squeeze 3,000 POWs into it.

Though taken into consideration that Singaporeans are more compassionate, kind and civil minded (after all, they are enforcing no public protests to keep the civil calmness of the great country) the PM wouldn't dare dream to put 3,000 into that place now. I mean, there would be protests on that woundn't there? now, wouldn't that be ironic. People protesting because people who were protesting are being crammed into a gaol cell inhumanely.

So, if the blocks can only hold 600 and 3,000 people show up to protest then the police will be called to arrest them. If they all get arrested, then where are they going to be housed and await for trial or be charged? Would the economically minded elite leaders of this country spend a lot of money to quickly build a holding cell to house these outlaws and then put them to trial? of course, all those charged fine monies could be put to repaying the building of the holding cells, but then what would happen to these holding cells? the Singapore gov't would then have to provide upkeep and maintenance on them that would lie empty until another big conference came up.

Curious, I wonder what would happen if 2,000 or 3,000 people showed up. After all, can't play favorites and arrest only 500 of them and leave the other 1,500 or 2,500 around to protest. Have to punish all those that break the law equally without showing favorites right? I mean, a minister commits murder he gets punished the same way a street sweeper would be punished, right?

Curious. Anyone else have an idea as to where these protesting law breakers would be housed if all 2,000 actually showed up?

Anonymous said...

the imf meeting is pointless, why chose a small shitty little country like singapore. You mention singapore in europe they thinjk mit is in china, its full of rice eating chinese living in kampongs.

the meeting will be a failure, with singapore ending up with eggs on its face.

Anonymous said...

What a disgrace to Singapore !
Now we are in the same category as the goddam China.

I am very sad that now we are akin to Communist China in many insidious ways.

Choi !!!! Sway !!!!!!
(Bad Luck !!)

All those reports from overseas agencies about our Country will now be confirmed in the world's eyes. -

Lack of Democracy;
Singaporeans - The Most Unhappy People;
Lack of Press Freedom (I am not saying to condone an Irresponsible Press) , etc...

We are on the world stage (with IMF and World Bank meetings)and now labelled as one that do not allow freedom of speech esp when this is for the world audience, where there are genuine concerns of farmers; unfair practices from the developed countries; 'unfair' subsidies for farmers in the West; dumping of cheap farm produce, goods, etc... that would not otherwise get the attention of the world except on these world events.

Some of these genuine concerns are the root causes of war, today as have always been in history.

If there are no legitimate outlets for them to address their concerns, then what do we have ?

Wars ? Turmoils ? Terrorism ?

By allowing democratic participation, we will help make the world a better place for all....albeit a long process.... as it is a two-way (or multiple)process.

Rome was not built in one day, too.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

>>"Since Singapore doesn't respect the rights of people to express their views, we are moving the demonstrations to Batam, where there is more democratic space," Lidya Nacpil, international coordinator of Jubilee South, told Reuters on Wednesday.<<

Du-uh! What kind of "logic" is that? No owonder these folks are un-globalised, in the economic sense — they're too unintelligent and uncompetitive.

>>In 1994, Singapore made international headlines when it caned American teenager Michael Fay for spray-painting cars.<<

Yes, but not nearly as much headlines as it did when Nguen was executed. That was "bigger than Ben Hur"!

>>According to guidelines issued by the police, activist groups must not move out of the designated areas, and are not allowed to use sound amplification systems or burn items or behave in a manner that would "provoke a breach of peace".<<

And why not? Suntec City is PRIVATE property. The activists should be at least grateful the owners of the property have allowed them to even enter the place — the very people who are anti-private property in the first place.

Bloody ungrateful sods eh?

>> "We still need to maximise our space and make ourselves heard, so we will be organising seminars at hotels around the conference centre to discuss issues such as agrarian reforms," said Indra Lubis, a project assistant at La Via Campesina (The Peasant Way), an international group which represents over 80 million farmers worldwide.<<

"Political agrarian reforms" don't help farmers. Adopting or creating better methods of farming — raising the quality of produce and distributing it cheaply and effectively will help, so that farmers earn more and build up their capital stock, which increases their productivity...

The way to do this is to get rid of the politics in farming (USA, you first) and allow the free market to do what it does best: allocate resources effectively.

Anonymous said...

I doubt there will even be 500 protesters; they are all too busy ranting in SBP to move their ass here

Anonymous said...

A meeying in Singapore and a protest in Batam, what does it mean to people's perception of Singpore

Anonymous said...

nothing new about singapore, but people might wonder why protesters are so wimpy

Anonymous said...

achat antivirusanti spywareanti spyware gratuitantivirus gratuitavast antivirus gratuitavast antivirusavg antivirusantivirus comcomparatif antivirusantivirus downloadantivirus en ligne gratuitantivirus firewallantivirus gratuit francaisantivirus freeantivirus gratisantivirus gratuiantivirus gratuisantivirusavast antivirus gratuitantivirus ligne gratuitantivirus gratuit francaisantivirus kasperskyantivirus macantivirus mcafeeantivirus onlinepanda antivirusantivirus personal editionantivirus pour scannerantivirus protectionantivirus reviewantivirus wanadooantivirus a telechargerantivirus en ligneantivirus gratuit a telechargerantivirus gratuitantivirus gratuitementanti virus softwareavastantivirus nortonavast antivirus gratuitantivirus softwareavast antivirusavgavg antivirusbitdefendercomparatif antivirusfirewallantivirus freeantivirus kasperskylogiciel antivirus gratuitlogiciel antiviruslogiciels antivirus gratuitlogiciels antivirusmc afeemeilleur antivirusnortonnorton 2005norton antivirus 2005norton 2006norton antivirus 2006norton antivirusnorton ghostnorton internet securitypanda antiviruspanda softwarepersonal firewallantivirus protectionremove spywaresecurity softwarespybot search and destroyspyware removalspywaresymantec antivirusspyware removertelechargement anti virus gratuittelechargement anti virustelechargement antivirus gratuittelechargement antivirustelechargement antivirus gratuittelechargement antivirustelechargements anti virus gratuittelechargements anti virustelechargements antivirus gratuittelecharger antivirus gratuittelecharger antivirustelecharger avasttelecharger norton antivirustelecharger anti virus gratuittelecharger antivirus gratuittelecharger antivirusachat mp3baladeur cd mp3albumalbumsbaladeur mp3 fmcd musiquebaladeur mp3chanson a telecharger gratuitementchanson a telechargertelecharger chansonclip musiqueclip videoconvertir mp3convertisseur mp3telecharger antivirus gratuitementtelecharger avasttelecharger gratuitement anti virustest antivirusconvertisseur wma mp3dvddivx dvddivx gratuitmp3 downloaddvd divxdvd filmdvd pas cherdvd musiquedvd rdvd rwdvd shrinkdvd viergeecouter musiqueencodeur mp3telecharger des film gratuitementfilm a telechargerfilmfilm a telecharger gratuitementfilm cinemafilm divx a telechargerfilm divxfilm dvdfilm gratuit a telechargerfilm gratuitfilm pirate telechargement gratuitfilm telechargementtelecharger des film gratuitementfilm a telechargerfilms a telechargerfilms dvdfilms gratuitfilms a telechargerfilmsfrance musiquefree mp3jaquette filmlecteur divxjaquette dvdlecteur dvd portablelecteur dvdlecteur mp3logiciel mp3logiciel musiquelogiciels mp3logiciels musiquemontage videomp3 arabebaladeur mp3mp3 creativemp3 downloadmp3 gratuit musiquemusic mp3mp3mp3 pas chertelecharger mp3player mp3mp3 gratuit telechargermp3 gratuitmp3 telecharger gratuitmp3 musiquemp3 telechargermusic a telechargermusic a telechargermusic mp3music videoparole de musiquemusique telecharger gratuitementmusique de pubmusique alsacemusique arabemusiquemusique a telecharger gratuitmusique telechargemusique a telecharger gratuitemusique a telecharger gratuitementmusique a telechargermusique de filmmusique classiquemusique downloadmusique de filmmusique francaisemusique gratuite a telechargermusique gratuitemusique marocainemusique mp3 a telechargermusique mp3musique a telechargeparole et musiquepartition musiquetelechargement gratuit mp3telechargement gratuit de musique mp3telechargement video gratuittelecharger musique gratuitetelechargement musique mp3telechargement gratuit musictelechargement musictelechargement gratuit musiquetelecharger musique gratuitetelechargement musique mp3telechargement musiquetelechargement video gratuittelecharger videotelechargement chansontelechargement film cinematelechargement film divxtelechargement film gratuittelechargement filmtelechargements gratuit de chansontelechargements film xtelechargements film gratuittelechargements gratuit de musictelechargements divx gratuittelechargements gratuit mp3telechargements gratuit de musique mp3telechargements musique gratuitetelechargements video gratuittelechargements mp3telechargements musique gratuitetelechargements musiquetelechargements gratuit musiquetelechargements musique mp3telechargements video gratuittelechargements video xtelechargements videotelechargements winziptelecharger videotelecharger albumtelecharger cdtelecharger chansontelecharger des film gratuitementtelechargement filmtelechargement film gratuittelecharger musique gratuitetelecharger mp3 gratuittelecharger mp3telecharger musique gratuitemusique telecharger gratuitementtelecharger musiquetelecharger album musiquetelecharger albumtelecharger cdtelecharger chansontelecharger chansonstelecharger gratuit filmtelecharger logiciel mp3 gratuittelecharger logiciel musiquetelecharger mp3 gratuittelecharger mp3 gratuitementtelecharger mp3telecharger music gratuitementtelecharger music mp3telecharger musique filmtelecharger musique gratuitetelecharger musique gratuitementtelecharger musique mp3 gratuittelecharger musique mp3 gratuitementtelecharger musique sur mp3telecharger musiquetelecharger raptelecharger videovideotelecharger des chanson gratuitementtelecharger clip videotelecharger des film gratuitementtelecharger divx gratuittelecharger divx gratuitementtelecharger divxtelecharger dvd gratuittelecharger dvdtelecharger film divxtelecharger film gratuittelecharger film gratuitementtelecharger filmtelecharger films gratuittelecharger films gratuitementtelecharger filmstelecharger gratuitement des chansontelecharger gratuitement musique mp3telecharger musique gratuiteastuce msn messengeradresse msnastuce msnavatar msnclean messengere messengertelecharger videotelecharger videotelecharger videovideo clipvideo clipsvideo gratuitvideo gratuitevideo internettelecharger videovideos gratuitvideos gratuitesvideosemoticone a telecharger gratuitemoticone msn messengeremoticone a telechargeremoticone msnhotmail messengeri love messengerinstaller msn messengerinstant messengerwindows live messengerlogiciel msnlogiciels msnlogitech quickcam messengermsn messenger 7.0msn messenger 7msn messenger 8messenger 7.5messenger 7.5messengermessenger astucemsn messenger 8.0messenger funmessenger betawindows live messengermessenger msn mkt fryahoo messengermessenger msnmessenger plusmns messengermsm messengermsn 5msn 7.0 telechargermsn 7.5 telechargermsn 7.5msn 7msn 8msnmsn messenger 6msn 7.0msn messenger 7,5msn messenger 8msn messenger betamsn messenger gratuitmsn messenger mactelecharger msnmsn web messengermsn 7.5 telechargermsn 8.0msn astucemsn frmsn gratuitmsn hotmailmsn jeumsn messengermsn messenger7.5msn messenger 6.2msn plusmsn messenger 7.0msn messenger 7.5msn messenger 7.5 telechargermsn messenger 7msn messenger 7.5msn messenger 7.5 telechargermsn messenger 8.0msn messenger plusmsn messenger telechargermsn messenger version 7.5msn messenger version 7.5msn plus telechargermsn telechargermsn truc astucemsn truc et astucemsn webmsn web messengerskin msnnet messengerlogitech quickcam messengersmiley gratuit telechargersmiley msntelechargement gratuit msntelechargement msn 7.5telechargement msn plustelecharger msntelechargements gratuit msntelechargements msn 7.5telechargements msn plustelechargements msn 7.5telecharger msn 7.5telecharger msn gratuittelecharger msn gratuitementtelecharger msntelecharger msn messenger 7.0telecharger msn messenger 7.5telecharger msn plustelecharger emoticone gratuittelecharger yahoo messengertelecharger emoticone gratuitementtelecharger emoticone msntelecharger gratuitement des emoticonetelecharger emoticonetelecharger gratuitement msn 7.0telecharger gratuitement msn 7.5telecharger gratuitement msn messenger 7.0telecharger gratuitement msn messengertelecharger gratuitement msn plustelecharger gratuitement msntelecharger messenger 7.0telecharger messenger 7telecharger messengertelecharger messenger 7.5telecharger messenger 7.5telecharger messenger plustelecharger msn 7 gratuitementtelecharger msn 7.0 gratuitementtelecharger msn 7.0telecharger msn 7.5telecharger msn 7.5 francaistelecharger msn 7.5 francaistelecharger msn 7.5telecharger msn 8.0telecharger msn 8.0telecharger msn betatelecharger msn gratuittelecharger msn gratuitementtelecharger msn mesengertelecharger msn messagertelecharger msntelecharger msn messenger 7.5telecharger msn messenger 7.5telecharger msn messenger 8.0telecharger msn messenger 8.0telecharger msn messenger gratuittelecharger msn messenger gratuitementtelecharger msn messenger7.0telecharger msn messenger plustelecharger msn plus gratuitementtelecharger msn plustelecharger msn version 7.5msn web messengermsn web messengerweb messengerwindows live messengerwindows messengeryahoo messenger 6.0yahoo messenger 6yahoo messengerachat antivirusanti spywaread awareanti spyware gratuitantivirus a telechargerantivirus gratuitbitdefenderantivirusblague blondeblague humourclone cdedonkeyemule franceemule telechargeremulefirewallhoroscope chinoisjeux a telechargerkazaa lite telechargernerokazaa litekazaa telechargerkazaalogiciel a telechargerlogiciel antivirusmessenger 7.5messenger msnmp3 gratuitmp3 telechargermsn 7.5 telechargermsn messenger 7.5 telechargermsn messenger 7.5msn telechargermusique a telechargermusique mp3nero 6kazaa lite telechargernerokazaa litekazaakazaa telechargerlogiciel a telechargermessenger 7.5logiciel antivirusmessenger msnmp3 gratuitmp3 telechargermsn 7.5 telechargermsn messenger 7.5 telechargermsn messenger 7.5msn telechargermusique a telechargermusique mp3nero 6nero burning romnorton 2005nero burningnorton antivirus 2005recette de cuisineskypetablature guitaretarottelechargement antivirus gratuittelechargement antivirustelechargement filmtelechargements anti virus gratuittelechargements anti virustelechargements antivirus gratuittelecharger antivirus gratuittelecharger antivirustelecharger avasttelecharger norton antivirustelecharger anti virus gratuittelecharger acrobattelecharger antivirus gratuittelecharger antivirus gratuitementtelecharger antivirustelecharger avasttelecharger chansontelecharger clone cdtelecharger codec divxtelecharger divx gratuittelecharger divx gratuitementtelecharger divx playertelecharger divxtelecharger dvdtelecharger emoticone gratuittelecharger emoticonetelecharger emule gratuittelecharger emuletelecharger e mule gratuittelecharger e mule gratuitementtelecharger emule gratuitementtelecharger filmtelecharger frtelecharger gratuitement anti virustelecharger jeu flashtelecharger jeutelecharger kazaa en francaistelecharger kazaa gratuittelecharger kazaa gratuitementtelecharger kazaa litetelecharger les sims 2telecharger logiciel divxtelecharger logiciel gratuittelecharger messenger 7.5telecharger messengertelecharger mp3telecharger msn 7.5telecharger msn 7.5 francaistelecharger msn gratuitementtelecharger msn 8.0telecharger msn mesengertelecharger msn messagertelecharger msn messenger 7.5telecharger msn messenger 8.0telecharger msn messenger gratuittelecharger msn messenger gratuitementtelecharger msn plustelecharger msntelecharger music mp3telecharger musique gratuitetelecharger musiquetelecharger nero 6telecharger nero gratuitementtelecharger nerotelecharger norton antivirustelecharger norton antivirus 2005telecharger shareaza gratuittelecharger shareaza gratuitementtelecharger shareazatelecharger sims 2telecharger skypetelecharger winamptelecharger winzip gratuittelecharger winziptelecharger yahoo messengertest antiviruswinmxzodiaquezone alarm