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"We
have achieved more than we expected": Activists
Empower
Singaporeans @ Speakers' Corner
19 Sep 06
Dr Chee Soon
Juan delivered the closing statement below at Hong Lim Park
before the team stood down their protest.
After 72 hours
of this protracted stand-off with the police, we stand before you
with our spirits elevated and our courage fortified. Having
surveyed what has happened over the past three days, we can
conclude that we have achieved what we set out to achieve and
then some.|
The world now knows the extent of repression
in Singapore and hopefully this will translate into pressure on
the Singapore Government to reform the system.
The
protest has also allowed the activists to discover ourselves and
find the courage that we never thought we had.
As a
result, we are announcing that we are standing down and ending
our action on a highly satisfactory note.
I had warned PM
Lee Hsien Loong in my podcast on the eve of our protest that if
he makes the wrong decision of clamping down on our democratic
rights that the repercussion will do much damage to his Prime
Ministership.
I don't think that anyone here today can
deny that the ill-advised and clumsy effort to stop us from
marching to Parliament House has been a complete and utter
disaster for the Government's reputation across the
world.
Unwittingly, the Government has helped us create a
much heavier and wider impact by stopping us than if they had
allowed us to march.
I had also warned the Prime Minister
that every act of repression will be met by a stronger reaction
from pro-democracy groups. It is a fight that he cannot win.
If
you have seen what I have seen and heard what I have heard over
these last few days, you will realise that the protesters have
become even more steeled in our resolve to wean the PAP off its
dictatorial habits.
In addition, our numbers have grown.
Supporters and observers have noted how a peaceful yet defiant
act of civil disobedience can help to bring about positive
change. Our numbers can only grow.
We are already planning
for the next stage which will see an escalation of our campaign.
Over the next few months, more activists will be recruited and
trained, and more activities will be organised.
Our
72-hour protest, which I have been told is unprecedented in
Singapore, may have come to a close, but I can assure you that
our movement for democracy in Singapore has just begun.
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