- Chia Thye Poh, one of the world's longest serving political prisoners. Chia was imprisoned for 23 years since 1966 without ever given a fair trial. He continues to live under humiliating conditions imposed by the Government. A Free Chia Thye Poh Campaign will be organised which will culminate at the conference,
- Calling for an independent inquiry into the torture of political prisoners in Singapore and the bringing to account those involved,
- The misuse and abuse of the Internal Security Act by the PAP for its own purposes.
SDP to mark Human Rights milestone
November 2, 1998.
[EDITOR'S NOTE: This conference did not take
place as the SDP did not obtain the required permissiont from the authorities.
Subsequently Dr Chee addressed Singaporeans
in a public place and was charged in court.]
THE Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) will hold a conference
next month to mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations
Declaration of Human Rights.
The conference on: Human Rights and Development in Singapore will highlight the lack of democratic rule, the abuse of human rights by the ruling party,(the People's Action Party), and the problems/risks this poses to the region especially in light of the present crisis affecting Asia.
The conference will focus on:
A press release from the SDP signed by its secretary general Dr Chee Suan Juan said, "Unfortunately Singapore, one of the signatories of the Declaration, has failed to live up to its promise to protect the rights of its citizens." The press release said the PAP, since taking power in 1959, has systematically undermined the Singapore Constitution which guarantees such rights to Singaporeans.
"Over the years, the PAP has relied on the instruments of the State, the most potent being the Internal Security Department, to subjugate the will of the people and to suppress the development of the Opposition. As a result civil society, essential for sustainable and balanced development of the country, is non-existent," the release said.
The SDP called on the PAP Government to stop "the desecration of the Constitution and to begin the process of institutionalising democracy in the country".