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"Silence
never won rights. They are not handed down from above; they are
forced by pressures from below."
-
Roger Nash Baldwin (1884-1981),
one of the founders of
American Civil Liberties Union
Team
arrival at the Speakers' Corner.
Police
formed human barricades.
Protesters
watched by the police at night.
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Announcement:
The first anniversary of WB-IMF protest
13 Sep 07
On 16 September
2006, a group of democracy advocates led by Dr Chee Soon Juan,
gathered at Hong Lim Park to call on the Singapore Government to
respect our rights to free speech and assembly during the annual
meeting of World Bank-International Monetary Fund held in
Singapore.
What was to
have been a march and rally led to a 3-day standoff with the
police when they formed human barricades to prevent us from
moving forward.
Never in Singapore's history has a
72-hours protest for freedom and democracy taken place with
police men and women keeping watch over us every minute.
This
year, the group will commemorate the first anniversary of this
landmark September 16 event. We will walk, as we had originally
planned in 2006, to Parliament House and from there, proceed to
the Istana where we will hand a letter to the President.
We
will end at Queenstown Remand Prison where fellow democrat Dr.
Chee is being incarcerated, yet again, by the regime. There, we
will hold a candlelight vigil to share this important occasion
with him even though he cannot be with the group.
Our
right to freedom of speech and assembly are guaranteed under the
Singapore Constitution. However, the PAP-Government has not only
violated our rights but has even persecuted those who exercise
them.
We will claim those rights again on 16 September,
calling for freedom and democracy for all in Singapore.
Date:
16 Sept 2007 (Sunday)
Time: 3:00 pm
Place:
Hong Lim Park*, Parliament House, Istana, Queenstown prison**
*
Come send us off at the Hong Lim Park at 3:00 pm. Going by the
government's book, Hong Lim park is the only legal place in
Singapore for public assembly of more than 4 persons.
**
Join us for the
candlelight vigil outside the Queenstown Remand Prison from 6.30
pm onward.
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