I FIND Dr Andy Ho's article, 'Activists shooting themselves in the foot' (ST, Sept 18), rather biased in painting the civil-society organisations (CSOs) as groups that prefer disruption to engagement.
By boycotting meetings with the IMF/World Bank, it is arguable that their efforts have come to naught as they will always have other opportunities to express their views.
However, it is undeniable that the reputation of Singapore has taken a significant beating in the international arena, especially as Singapore has limited control over how we are perceived by the rest of the world, by the foreign media. At many of the IMF/World Bank meetings, inputs from the CSOs are extremely important and even critical to the success of the dialogue. Even the World Bank president explicitly acknowledges this.
It would have been relatively reasonable had the Singapore Government just taken the preventive steps of only providing an indoor venue for rallies, permitting the use of only cardboard poles, and erecting metal barricades.
But the act of blacklisting individuals seems to border on overkill. While Singapore did reverse its stance later to admit 22 of the 27 blacklisted activists, the decision to blacklist them may have significant repercussions.
Singapore's reputation will take a hit when multiple well-regarded CSOs inform the world that due to our action, they have chosen to boycott the IMF/World Bank meetings. The perception that Singapore holds little respect for freedom of expression and the right to organise will be reinforced, overshadowing the good work it has done for the IMF/World Bank meetings.
Singapore has a few more days to manage the snowballing backlash, instead of painting the CSOs as being narrow-minded in disengaging from the process.
What Singapore can and should do is to treat these CSOs with the same respect it has given to the IMF and World Bank, and to be more transparent in how it has to balance security with the freedom of expression demanded by the CSOs.
As the host, Singapore must work with the IMF/World Bank to engage the CSOs to change their mind about the boycott.
Soon Sze Meng
Illinois, USA
Note: First Printed in Straits Time,Sep 19, 2006
