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I
disagree with the negative phraseology in the
opening paragraph regarding Dr. Chee of the SDP.
You
wrote:
"Dr
Chee Soon Juan painted a pessimistic and hopeless
future for human rights in Singapore and surprised
everybody. Whether it was a tactic to capture
the headlines or simply to embody that he was
'beyond human rights' remained unclear."
PAP-like
talk: "tactic to capture headlines".
Correct me if I am wrong, but he did seemingly
start off his speech with an apparently 'pessimistic'
view of setting up a human rights <body>
(as opposed to "human rights" as a value
or ideal which he has always been fighting for)
in Singapore at the present moment of time.
Giving
a quick pat on NUS Professor Val Winslow's right
shoulder with his left hand, Dr. Chee told the
audience in his introduction that he was somehat
not as optimistic as Winslow. BUT, to say that
"Dr Chee Soon Juan painted a pessimistic
and hopeless future for human rights in Singapore"
is totally erroneous. If you are referring to
human rights as a value or an ideal or goal to
be reached and respected, then it would be incorrect
and contradictory to follow up your details of
what Dr. Chee covered with:
"However,
Dr Chee has been a steadfast fighter for human
rights and was jailed for attempting to speak
without a licence. His <scathing criticisms
of the PAP's tactics provided some measure of
evidence of why he believed a human rights programme
in Singapore will be futile>."
"Futile"
at this point of time, as in now, today. Given
all the evidence that he has presented, you would
be, as you correctly say it, "venturing into
uncharted waters". However, given the fact
that Think Centre is operating as an "independent"
organisation, you could very well be successful
in this venture.
"The question and answer sessions covered
a wide scope from political apathy right up to
a comparative study of human rights. However,
the most interesting question was posted when
one of the members of the audience asked whether
having Dr Chee on the human rights study committee
would be a liability. It was a valid question
especially when Dr Chee himself alleges that there
is a media black out on him."
It
may have sounded like a 'good' question but it
certainly wasn't a "valid" one (let
alone an informed one!) given Dr. Chee's international
credentials as a human rights political activist
cum politician. Regardless of what Singaporeans
(whose only source of news on Dr. Chee is gotten
from the government controled media) think of
Dr. Chee, he would not be a liability unless you
choose to see him as such, given the stigma the
PAP has labeled on him. Instead, a human rights
organisation which has him on its Board would
greatly enhance its standing in the eyes of the
international community. Without him on board,
the Singapore human rights organisation, unless
it is a branch of Amnesty International and the
like, would be seen as merely just another government
front to use the name of "human rights"
as a political tool.
On
the "media blackout", it was not just
an 'allegation' but a FACT. I had seen a program
on CNBC a few years ago featuring Dr. Chee. It
never was mentioned at all in Singapore's media.
Were the examples given by Dr. Chee enough? No?
Then check out the stations that interviewed him.
CNN and most American media outlets sell video-tapes
and transcripts of certain programs they air,
provided of course that the events did not take
place decades ago...
Forgetting
Dr. Chee for a moment, why hasn't dear Lydia Lim
from the ST gotten her report (assuming she has
written one!) published in the ST as she has successfully
gotten one in last year's Sunday Times? There
was a "media blackout" on this human
rights Forum by Think Centre too! Apart from the
plain-clothes policemen and the 150 people, who
else in this island of 3.8 million knows what
went on that evening? Never mind those who have
the Internet, let alone access P21, SFD or SW
on a regular basis!
If
Think Centre or anyone / organisation is willing
to take steps to form a credible human rights
body / Commission in Singapore, I am sure that
Dr. Chee and the SDP would be pleased to work
along with this plan and to see to it that this
becomes a reality for all Singaporeans.
Thank
You and I wish Think Centre all the best in its
undertakings.
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