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Freedom
Walk: Free to walk?
11
Dec 06
On Sunday 10 December 2006, a group of human rights
advocates in Singapore walked down the heart of of the city to
mark the International Human Rights Day.
The group
consisting of about 20 men, women and children were dressed in
bright yellow T-shirts that read "Free to Speak", "Free
to Walk" and "Free to Gather".
Starting
from Hong Lim Park, the participants ended the 8km walk outside
the Queenstown Prison where one of our own human rights and
democracy advocates is still serving his jail sentence for having
claimed his rights as a citizen of the country. Dr Chee Soon Juan
has been imprisoned no less than five times, all for exercising
his right to speak.
The group gave out flyers to
passers-by during the walk. Several of the advocates stopped at
the Istana to hand a flyer to the President of the
Republic.
Along a quiet stretch at Tanglin Road the police
attempted to violate our right to walk peacefully and in small
groups. Mr Gandhi Ambalam, one of the two men who had been
imprisoned with Dr Chee, was accosted by the police. He was asked
to disperse. The reason given to him was that an illegal assembly
was taking place. Mr Gandhi explained that he was walking with
only one other and the rest of the participants were walking in
small and scattered groups. After assessing the situation, the
police allowed Mr Gandhi to walk on.
The entire group
arrived at the Queenstown Prison at about 7.15 pm.
This
was the first time many in the group were taking part in an event
to raise awareness for human rights in Singapore. One participant
said that he had not "felt so alive in a long time."
Another was so inspired that he remarked that he wished he had
brought the Singapore flag to wave it as the group walked
along.
The activists were happy that we were able to
complete what we had set out to achieve, which was to mark Human
Rights Day and to stand in solidarity with our friends whose
rights to free speech were denied.
We would like to thank
those who joined us along the way and finished the walk with us.
Their presence and company was encouraging, if not
inspiring.
The group will continue to raise human rights
awareness among Singaporeans so that we can claim and exercise
our rights.
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