Singapore arrests opposition members in Myanmar protest
Mon Oct 8, 2007 10:18am EDT
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A Singapore opposition party leader and several of his supporters were arrested on Monday as they gathered outside the presidential palace to protest the city-state's trade ties with Myanmar's ruling junta.
The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), in a statement on its Web site (www.singaporedemocrat.org/index.html ), said that four of its people, including Chee, were arrested by plain-clothes police as they began the protest in front of the presidential palace, also called the Istana.
Singapore police confirmed that Chee Soon Juan was taken into custody, but said a total of five SDP supporters had staged an unlawful demonstration in the park facing the main entrance of the Istana.
Under Singapore law, an assembly of five or more people requires a permit.
"The police seized the placards and arrested Chee and others," said a police statement emailed to Reuters.
The police statement also warned the "public not to participate in an assembly or procession that does not have a permit, as it is an offence to do so.
"The public should also stay away from the vicinity of such illegal protest activities. Our laws apply equally to all, whether local or foreigners. But Chee considers himself to be above the law," the statement said.
Singapore is one of Myanmar's biggest foreign investors and its trade with the country formerly known as Burma was worth S$1 billion ($680 million) last year.
European Union parliamentarians last week urged Singapore to ease strict bank secrecy laws to avoid becoming a financial haven for organized crime. It also urged Singapore to punish the Myanmar generals that ordered the bloody crackdown on anti-government protests by seizing their assets in Singapore.
Singapore's prime minister on Friday denied accusations that it is a money-laundering centre for members of Myanmar's military regime in a CNN interview broad cast on Friday.
"We don't play dirty money, we don't condone money laundering," Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said. "Our rules against that are as strict as any other financial centre - London, Hong Kong, New York," Lee said.
Singapore detains opposition at Burma rally
Singapore - Four leaders of an opposition party were arrested Monday while protesting the Singapore government's involvement in Burma, the group said.
Each of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) participants held a placard saying, "No Deals," "No Arms," "With the Junta," and "Free Burma." The group was composed of Chee Soon Juan, the most vocal opposition leader and secretary general of the SDP; Gandhi Ambalam, SDP chairman; John Tan, assistant secretary general; and member Chee Siok Chin, Chee Soon Juan's sister.
Chee Soon Juan has been rendered bankrupt for remarks made about Singapore's leaders during a general election campaign and has been in and out of jail on several occasions for speaking without a police permit. The SDP said the four were arrested by plain-clothed police once they began their protest in front of the Istana, where Singapore's top leaders have offices.
The four "were taken to the police vans waiting nearby," the SDP said in a statement. They had planned to hold a 24-hour protest preceded by the submission of a petition to Myanmar Ambassador U Win Myint. The protest was aimed "at raising awareness of the Singapore government's exploitation of the situation in Burma," a SDP statement said.
"We demand that the government open its books of the Government Investment Corp and Temasek to the people, starting with its investments in Burma," it added, referring to government investment agencies. The party's petition with 1,107 signatures had been gathered since Burma's military junta began its bloody crackdown on monks and anti-government demonstrators.
"The ambassador refused to come out and accept the petition himself," the SDP said. "One of the embassy staff finally showed up and said the embassy could not accept the petition."
The assembly of more than four people outside without a police permit is illegal in Singapore.
More than 400 Burma nationals packed a hotel room during the weekend to pray for their brethren. The gathering included 12 members of Burma's Buddhist clergy. Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in his capacity as chairman of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), strongly criticized Myanmar last week for the crackdown. Foreign Minister George Yeo has emphasized the importance of keeping Burma as a member of the ASEAN family.
ASEAN is made up of Singapore, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. (dpa) Bangkok Post