Local activists arrested for supporting Burmese cause

Home

News

Singapore

Monday, 12 January 2009

Singapore Democrats

Two young local activists were arrested by the police this afternoon for protesting against the denial of work permits to Burmese nationals who had taken part in protests in Singapore against the military regime in Burma.

Mr Seelan Palay, 24, and Mr Chong Kai Xiong, 27, were detained in front of the Manpower Ministry building at Havelock Road after they staged an hour-long protest in support of two Burmese nationals awaiting deportation following the Ministry's refusal to renew their work permits.

The two local activists went to MOM at noon wearing red t-shirts with words "We pursue peace, justice, democracy for Burma" on the back and a small map of Burma with "We are one" emblazoned on the front. The two said that as Singaporeans "we are expressing solidarity with the Burmese activists being persecuted by the PAP government" for their opposition to the military junta in their country.

The local activists also displayed a placard reading "stop ill treatment of Burmese activists".

Soon a CISCO security guard approached them. Later, another security guard appeared on the scene and together the two guards tried to shield away the protesters from the passers-by and onlookers. It took nearly an hour for the police to arrive and arrest the activists for "criminal trespass".

Both of them were handcuffed and driven away to the Central Police Station. After nearly five hours, both protesters were released on a $2,000 bail each on one surety. They have been told to report at the station two weeks from now.

It may be recalled that more than 40 Burmese, assembling in groups of four, held a peaceful protest along Orchard Road on 20 Nov 07 during the ASEAN Summit in nearby Shangri-la Hotel.

Following the event, the group was accused by the Singapore Government of deliberately breaking local laws. Its members were given a police warning for their participation in the protest. But none of the Burmese activists were ever charged with any unlawful act while pursuing their political objectives.

Since then, three of the Burmese protesters, all members of the Overseas Burmese Patriots (OBP) have been forced to leave the country after their work permits or residence passes were not renewed.

Today's protest by the local activists was, according to Mr Seelan and Mr Chong, "in solidarity with the Burmese pro-democracy advocates who are awaiting deportation."

The Burmese nationals have been given till the end of this month to leave Singapore after their repeated requests for the renewal of their work permits were turned down by the MOM. The two, Mr Moe Kyaw Thu, 35 and Mr Win Kyaw, 38, had worked here for 11 years each. Moe is a construction supervisor and Win, a technical supervisor.

The OBP is an advocacy group formed in Singapore to highlight human rights abuses by the Burmese military junta following its crackdown of the pro-democracy movement in Rangoon led by monks in September 2007.

Watch video of the arrest (by Ho Choon Hiong) here

Singaporeans arrested in protest over Myanmar activist expulsions
AFP

Police Monday arrested two Singaporean activists for staging a protest in support of Myanmar nationals allegedly being forced to leave the city-state for involvement in political activities.

Seelan Palay and Chong Kai Xiong stood outside the Ministry of Manpower's building in the city's business district for about an hour before they were handcuffed by police without showing any resistance.

They wore red T-shirts and held a banner that read "Stop ill-treatment of Burmese activists."

The protest was in support of two Myanmar nationals, Moe Kyaw Thu and Win Kyaw, whose work permits have not been renewed by Singapore, effectively forcing them to leave, Palay said.

He said the two men were among 40 Myanmar nationals who took part in a protest against their country's ruling junta during a summit of Southeast Asian leaders hosted by Singapore in November 2007.

"We can't just stand by as Singaporeans, as personal friends, and watch them being expelled one by one," he said.

Moe Kyaw Thu told AFP that he was required to leave Singapore by January 27. Win Kyaw could not be contacted for comment Monday.

The Ministry of Home Affairs did not immediately reply to emailed queries from AFP on the case of the Myanmar nationals. A few others who took part in the same protest in 2007 have also had their work permit renewals turned down.

Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng in September defended the government's decision not to renew the visas of some Myanmar nationals working or studying in the city-state, saying they were "undesirable" people.

Singapore has eased rules governing protests in a designated public park but it remains illegal elsewhere to hold a public gathering of five or more people without a police permit.

Singapore is home to an estimated 30,000 Myanmar nationals, many of them drawn by jobs as labourers that pay far above what they could earn in their poverty-stricken homeland.

http://news.sg.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=2059673

Share this article:

Comments (19)

Tue 13 Jan 2009 9:42 AM | Robox

From the AFP report:

1. "Singapore has eased rules governing protests in a designated public park but it remains illegal elsewhere to hold a public gathering of [b]five or more people[/b] without a police permit." [emphasis mine]

But Seelan + Kai Xiong = 2 people!

2. Additionally, wikipedia defines trespass as "Trespass (Fr. trespas, a crime, properly a stepping across, from Lat. trans, across, and passus, step, cf. "transgression," from transgredi, to step across) is a legal concept, which refers to intrusion into another person's property."

Whose property were they on when they were "in front of the Manpower Ministry building"?

If it is deemed to be public property, then every member of the public has right of access to the property, within reasonable bounds of course, which this is. (It's not as if they barged into someone's office in the MOM building.)

Again, from wikipedia, "Most jurisdictions do not allow "self-help" to remove trespassers. The usual procedure is to ask the trespassing person to leave, then to call law enforcement officials if they do not."

However, from the Singapore Democrats report above, there is no indication that the two men were asked to leave the property that they were NOT in trespass of in the first place.

"Soon a CISCO security guard approached them. Later, another security guard appeared on the scene and together the two guards tried to shield away the protesters from the passers-by and onlookers. It took nearly an hour for the police to arrive and arrest the activists for "criminal trespass".

Would the kangaroo cops and courts - if this goes to court - use the same approach that the then AG did when he ruled that "those unauthorised persons who only wait or loiter inside a polling station on polling day do not commit any offence under the [Parliamentary Elections] Act."

They've set a precedent.

Tue 13 Jan 2009 8:20 AM | | ngejay - Seelan and Kaixiong highlighted unjust laws

I am posting this comment in response to many online remarks and feedback that Seelan and Kai Xiong will not "score any political points" by protesting on behalf of foreigners, namely the Burmese. A particular online forummer has remarked: "I don't think you got the pulse of the country or even understand the needs of Singaporeans."

In my personal opinion, these 2 activists are not trying to score any political points or win votes. They are merely expressing their own stand with regards to persecution of the Burmese, whom they regard as close friends.

What Seelan and Kai Xiong have done is to again highlight the way laws in Singapore are selectively applied. Just a couple of weeks ago, 200 china nationals gathered outside MOM in a workers' strike to demand their wages. Not only were they allowed to gather, MOM in fact rendered assistance to them.

Contrast this with the 2 Singaporean activists who are arrested for speaking out on behalf of their Burmese pals.

Whether FTs are taking jobs from us, depressing our wages, or whether FTs are welcome by Singaporeans is not the issue. The issue here is how unjust laws are selectively applied against only one kind of dissent -- political opposition.

Furthermore, by refusing to renew work permits and cracking down on activists who highlight the arbitrary eviction of Burmese nationals, the PAP Govt has implicitly sided with the murderous Burmese junta. Hence this is not merely a political issue, but a moral issue as well -- and as such should, in my opinion, concern all Singaporeans.

Tue 13 Jan 2009 8:35 AM | Ted

Yes this wrongdoing of pap will affect all singaporeans. We are a laughing stock in the world when citizens in all other countries are condemning the murderous burmese junta.

Tue 13 Jan 2009 4:03 PM | Robox

An additional point:

1. When [b]17 TBT activists gather for the purpose of a political activity[/b](i.e. an assembly), the crooked cops charge them with under a law that forbids - unconstitutionally - assembly of five or more people.

2. When [b]two activists gather for the purpose of a political activity[/b], and they can no longer use the same law to charge them, the crooked cops then scramble to look for something - anything - to charge them with. This time it is criminal trespass.

This inconsistency is again a vile display of their ever present triggerhappy-ness with the law to prosecute for the sake of of prosecuting. The charge laid is a desperate measure to ensure that the PAP government, as always, MUST WIN!

Why this inconsistency when the crime - if that is what we are calling it - is the same one: assembly?

Tue 13 Jan 2009 3:15 PM | Gopalan Nair

Well done Seelan and Kai Xiong. You are bringing down the wall of Lee Kuan Yew's dictatorship. And thanks to SDP for this report. You are yet agian reminding the world that Lee Kuan Yew is an eager and willing collaborator to Burma's military regime. A regime that stands disgraced by everyone.

Tue 13 Jan 2009 4:55 PM | angry_one

Let me try playing devil's advocate here. Where are the Burmese in this protest? There are thousands of them in Sinkapoor and all of them should have assembled to protest the impending doom of their 2 comrades.

They're too afraid of doing anything to protect their own countrymen, so why should any singaporean risk his hide for their sake?

Tue 13 Jan 2009 8:21 PM | tan

In the words of a friend; "What can the govt really do to us?!" The govt do not poccess people skills, the govt had faltered in this aspect. It has build a nation BUT when it comes to dealing with its own citizens, it displays inefficiency, ineffectiveness and the lack of understanding and tolerance which we do not desire. And if the govt has acted out of any reasons which it can't disclose, perhaps doing so will cause shock to the whole population, thus endangering its position, then there is a cause of concern as to what untelling secrets its keeping from the people. And that is also not what we want in a govt. Either way, this govt has failed because the gap has widened between them and us. And since the govt is not the only one living on this island, insisting on their uncaring ways will one day result in a catastrophic situation, both for the people and the govt. I do not want a uncaring govt. Yes, I do look around me and see peace and a pleasant surrounding but that human spirit is missing. It's like the father who brings in the money for the family but is never around for them, and if the wife and children voice their displeasure, he punishes them.

Tue 13 Jan 2009 10:54 PM | myomyintmaung - A Burmese's reply

I'd like to give a reply to [b]angry_one[/b] and others who may have the same thoughts as he or she does.

"Where are the Burmese in this protest? There are thousands of them in Sinkapoor and [b]all of them should have assembled to protest[/b] the impending doom of their 2 comrades."

Let me ask you, [b]angry_one[/b], "Do you really think so?" I wonder how many Singaporeans share such sentiments. Once, over 40 Burmese expatriates in Singapore assembled to protest the impending doom of their whole nation in the hope that many Singaporeans, regardless of the stance of the state, would share their sentiments. In the end, they were disappointed not by the reaction of the state but by the reaction of numerous Singaporeans who explicitly or tacitly regarded their actions as intolerable and them as undesirable. [b]angry_one[/b], what was your stance then? Please don't comment angrily; comment reasonably.

"They're too afraid of doing anything to protect their own countrymen, so why should any Singaporean risk his hide for their sake?"

We are neither afraid nor regretful. And we still haven't ruled out protesting "anywhere" in Singapore. We are now being patient for a purpose. As for your last question, it's up to you to decide whether it's right to stand up for others against injustice. Don't be angry, be fair.

Tue 13 Jan 2009 10:00 PM | Aung - from a Burmese

Dear Seelan and Kai Xiong,

Thanks for your brave action for freedom of speech. I am proud of your action.

Singapore government is not only suppressing the Burmese activists and you, they are also violating basic human rights of the rest of Singaporeans, too.

Its action is no longer different from the brutal Burmese military regime.

As a Burmese citizen, I strongly denounce Singapore government's action.

P.S Eventhough Singapore goverment is expelling the Burmese activists for their peaceful expression of their political view, it is allowing the Burmese generals to buy the private properties (with their dirty money) in Singapore.

Tue 13 Jan 2009 11:33 PM | day - hold your heads up high

Seelan and Kaixiong - My total respect for you and what u guys have done. Hold your heads up high (man, i love the pic of Seelan abv!) and im sure what u have done will not go to waste!

This case really is a mockery to the integrity of laws and the police force of Singapore.

But wait a min, some time ago, I came across an article whereby a Police car had been making their rounds with the words "[b]Poilce[/b]" spelt on it instead. It wasn't rectified until a citizen spotted it. Gosh, if they cant even spell the word "Police" right, what's more can be said of them?

Wed 14 Jan 2009 1:18 AM | Sylvester Lim

[Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng in September defended the government's decision not to renew the visas of some Myanmar nationals working or studying in the city-state, saying they were "undesirable" people.]

Speaking up for others and ourselves is an 'undesirable' trait. We should be busy earning money and caring only for material things! What will become of our society when we start caring for our fellow Singaporeans and others? Money is everything isn't it? Civil society, human rights, what rubbish! Singaporeans according to the philosophy of PAP should care on for themselves and money. Anything else is a waste of time! Welcome to a country of souless robots.

Well done Kai Xiong and Seelan! Singapore has a glimmer of humanity!

Wed 14 Jan 2009 2:10 AM | jacys - Burmese should obey local laws

I support Minister Wong Kan Seng's refusal to renew the work permits of these troublesome Burmese.

You guys should count yourselves lucky to be given the opportunity to earn a living here instead of starving to death like many of your fellow countrymen in Burma.

Yet instead of showing gratitude to the Singapore government, you broke the laws deliberately and create trouble for us.

SDP is just making use of you to further their own selfish political goal and you can only blame your own stupidity for falling for it.

Wed 14 Jan 2009 2:17 AM | tan - to Sylvester Lim

You are right. We should be caring for money and not people. Human rights has no place here, and so I say to the torched MP, "Get real, welcome to reality, who cares about you while there wars going on elsewhere? You're not the only one. In this country, the mantra goes "You die your business" Don't blame us, the govt has formed this society thus.

Wed 14 Jan 2009 3:54 AM | tewniaseng

I would suggest Burmese go to Norway or Denmark and work there rather than come to this lan chiou country, under Pap rule,all foreigners and locals must abide by their rule, no wonder one of Pap MP got burn in the face.I suggest all ministers when go walk about in their constituentcy to wear crash helmets to prevent their million dollar face from being burnt by thinner or kerosene !!! Nia Mah

Wed 14 Jan 2009 10:18 AM | AnnA

Kahkahkahkah.... tew'nia'seng LoL

Wed 14 Jan 2009 6:41 PM | Brendan - re: Who needs who more??

[quote=angry_one]
They're too afraid of doing anything to protect their own countrymen, so why should any singaporean risk his hide for their sake?[/quote]

He HAS a point here. We should encourge the tens of thousands of burmese working here to protest here.
After all, THEY got nothing to loose, protest against against [u]OUR[/u] country get deported, protest against [u]OWN[/u] country also get deported.

Thu 15 Jan 2009 5:00 AM | | ngejay - To angry_one and Brendan:

The Burmese have already protested. Furthermore they organized a press conference highlighting their unjust eviction from SG which is clearly based on political grounds and not based on merit at all.

Instead of asking the Burmese to protest for their own cause, how about asking Singaporeans to protest on OUR causes?

Thu 15 Jan 2009 7:42 PM | myomyintmaung - Reply to jacys

Hey [b]jacys[/b],

Speaking of showing gratitude,remember to show gratitude to the Burmese dictators who are making life in Burma so miserable that many thousands of Burmese have to choose to work in your country regardless of [b]numerous employment abuses and an unethical government[/b]. And ask your government to keep supporting those dictators. After all, you still need the foreign workers (most of whom you can easily manipulate) to run your economy, right?
Forget that Singapore is also at the receiving end, and keep abusing your own house maid, you snot!

Thu 15 Jan 2009 9:06 PM | tewniaseng

Jacys,
please get your facts correctly. There are no Burmese starve to death in their country.They won't starve because they have plenty of land to plant padi.Not like this lan chiou singapore, where everything needs money once you step out of your flat.