Arrests in Singapore

We have received the following appeal from Concerned Asian Women:

Dear sisters and friends,

On the morning of 21st May, 16 persons were arrested in Singapore under the Internal Security Act) which allowed for people to be detained without trial indefinitely. Ten out of the 16 arrested are working as full-timers or volunteers in church organizations. Nine out of the 16 are women who are in one way or another active in women's issues in Singapore. The various women's issues include voicing disagreement against social engineering (eugenetics practice) in Singapore; asking for reproductive rights for all women in Singapore; marriage and citizenship rights for non-citizen women married to Singapore males; looking into the plight of foreign women (maids) employed in households and so on.

The Singapore government has accused the 16 of organizing a clandestine communist network with the aim of destabilizing the state through infiltration of the opposition political parties, catholic church organizations (the Commission of Justice and Peace, Young Christian Workers, Catholic Students' Society) and other human rights and women groups.

This type of argument has often been used by the Singapore government whenever an opposition current gains ground in the public.

It appears that the only "crime" committed by the 16 was their activities in defense of the most deprived in the present economic downturn and the defense of the freedom of the individual, of women's rights, of the freedom of association, and citizen's rights to participate in the political life of the country.

The catholic church of Singapore through Archbishop Gregory Yong has publicly defended the detainees by organizing, among other actions, a mass attended by 2000 people in Singapore. The Law Society of Singapore, Journalists' organizations in Malaysia and elsewhere and other local and international organizations have expressed concern and some have protested against the arrest.

The Concerned Asian Women wants to reiterate the serious infringement by the Singapore government on the fundamental rules of Parliamentary Democracy as well as on the basic human rights pronounced in the United Nations Charter, viz. the UN Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.

The urgency of acting in favor of the 16 detainees, and especially the 9 women, is justified in view of the use of torture to extract "confession " from the detainees by the government. According to testimonies of the families of the detainees, one woman, Ms. Ng Bee Leng was hospitalized one day after her arrest and Ms. Tang Lay Lee has bruises on her face.

The Concerned Asian Women demands the immediate and unconditional release of the 16 detainees and calls upon all democratic women and men in all parts of the world to act in favor of the detainees. Aware of the immense value of international solidarity, we appeal to you to send telegrams without delay and/or letters of concern and protest to the following address:

The Honorable Lee Kuan Yew
Prime Minister of Singapore

The Prime Minister's Office Istana Annex
Istana, Singapore 0923
Telegraphic address: PRIMIN SINGAPORE
Fax: +65 734 5244

Please send us copy of your protest and contact us for more information:

The Concerned Asian Women
P.O. Box 3071
2600 NA Delft The Netherlands

The 16 arrested persons are:

1. Ms. Lim Li Kok, publisher of material on women in Singapore and member of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE)

2. Ms. Teo Soh Lung, lawyer, who has been active with women's organizations and legal associations as well as with the opposition political party, the Opposition Party

3. & 4. Ms. Ng Bee Leng and Ms. Mah Lay Lin, full-time staff members of the Catholic Centre for Foreign Workers, active in the assistance of domestic employees

5. & 6. Ms. Low Yit Leng and Ms. Chung Lai Mei, student leaders and volunteers in Catholic Church community work  ,

7. Ms. Tang Lay Lee, lawyer, working full-time with the Young Christian Workers

8. Ms. Wong Souk Yee, theater activist involved in broadcasting plays on the plight of foreign maids and other deprived groups

9. Ms. Lenny Chin Lai Ching, Malaysian journalist volunteer with Catholic Justice and Peace Commission

10. Mr. Vincent Cheng, Excutive Secretary, Archdiocesan Justice and volunteer with the catholic center which serves the poorer sectors of Singapore society

11 Mr. Kelvon Desmond de Silva, full time staff member of the Polytechnic Catholic Students' Society

12. Mr. Tan Tee Seng, voluntary worker in Cathodic Justice and Peace Commission and assistant with the publication of the Opposition Workers' Party

13. Mr. Kenneth Tsang Chi Seng, voluntary worker of the Catholic Center and assistant with the publication of the Workers' Party

14. Mr. Chia Boon Thye, Malaysian engineer

15. Mr. Tay Hong Seng, journalist and theater activist involved with dispossessed groups

16. Mr. William Yap, journalist and theater activist working with under privileged sectors.

SWAPO Women on the Frontline

The Namibian people have been struggling for over a hundred years against German, British and, since 1919, South African rule. The South West African Peoples Organization (SWAPO), was formed in 1960 to coordinate the national struggle for independence. The SWAPO Women's Solidarity Campaign, in its fight against national oppression, racism and sexism, has called for support from women worldwide. It is seeking affiliation and publicity for the campaign from trade unions and community groups. SWAPO women are also appealing for material aid such as literacy materials and bulk consignments of sanitary towels.

For more information, contact:

SWAPO Women's Solidarity
Campaign P.O. Box 16 London NW5 2LW, UK

Striking Clover Workers

Last year 168 workers at the Clover food processing factory in South Africa were fired for taking part in a two-day work stoppage in protest against the dismissal of two other workers. The dismissed workers include the chairperson of the shopstewards in Pietermaritzburg. Clover workers support committees have been formed in Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

For more information, contact: 

Clover Workers Relief Fund
c/o Food and Allied Workers Union
P.O. Box 8131, Cumberwood 3235
South Africa

Solidaridad Con Presas Politicas

Forty female political prisoners imprisoned in Santiago's Center of Preventive Detention in Chile in March joined the huge strike begun by about 360 male political prisoners. The action was to protest their conditions and treatment by Chile's military. Among their claims are:

• recognition of their status as political prisoners
• an end to the use of solitary confinement and to the use of trials for purposes of publicity
• separate quarters for women political prisoners who face constant dangers from the common male criminal
• elimination of the death penalty.

 

 

 

 

Show your support for these demands by writing to:

Ricardo Garcia
Ministro del Interior
Ministerio del Interior
La Moneda
Santiago, Chile

Hugo Rosende
Ministro de Justicia
Ministerio de Justicia
Compania 1111
Santiago, Chile

Express your solidarity to:

Miriam Ortega
Cecilia Radrigan
Seccion Feminina
Centro de Detencion Preventiva San
Miguel San Francisco 4756
Santiago, Chile