The United Nations have dedicated this year's theme to upholding the ideal of “Equality: Reducing inequalities and advancing human rights”... The past two years since the pandemic broke out have exacerbated existing inequalities; whatever is left of our fundamental freedoms were also severely threatened... In our 2015 commentary, Think Centre highlighted the extensive and lingering presence of repressive draconian laws... it would have been unimaginable to think the situation could worsen.... the introduction of POFMA and FICA... only reflect the adversarial and suspicious attitudes and lack of faith in the citizenry by the incumbent political leaders...
Think Centre’s 2021 Human Rights Day Message
Today on December 10, Think Centre joins the world to observe Human Rights Day.
The United Nations have dedicated this year's theme to upholding the ideal of “Equality: Reducing inequalities and advancing human rights”. [1]
While we share the joy and the appreciation for another opportunity to continue to mark the day, Think Centre is disappointed to report that the state of human rights today in Singapore is as gloomy and overcast like the recent wet weather.
The past two years since the pandemic broke out have exacerbated existing inequalities; whatever is left of our fundamental freedoms were also severely threatened.
The Civicus Monitor had recently downgraded Singapore’s civic freedom ratings from “Obstructed” to “Repressed”. [2]
This, sadly, is not surprising. Think Centre is of the view that this recognition was long overdue.
In our 2015 commentary, Think Centre highlighted the extensive and lingering presence of repressive draconian laws that deprive Singaporeans of our legitimate right to discuss and hold political discussions on issues of concern freely. [3]
With such an extensive arsenal at the government’s disposal, it would have been unimaginable to think the situation could worsen.
Unfortunately, we were proven wrong with the introduction of POFMA and FICA in 2019 and 2021, respectively. [4][5]
These developments only reflect the adversarial and suspicious attitudes and lack of faith in the citizenry by the incumbent political leaders, which only continue hampering the political maturing and growth of the people.
The obstinate and ideological reluctance to fully recognise and respect the human rights principles were once again exposed by the government’s responses at the Universal Periodic Review and the Committee of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). [6] [7]
We reserve our disappointment at the government’s continuing turtle-pace improvement on the treatment of migrant workers - many of whom remain suffering from overly harsh control of their movements - and the hesitancy to fully implement a minimum wage regime for the majority of the low-wage earners who have suffered joblessness and loss of income during the pandemic.
We remain even more disappointed at the government’s enthusiasm to resume executing people on the death row amid the pandemic, of which saving and preserving lives from the scourge of the coronavirus was and remains a priority.
We sincerely call upon the government to rethink its position on the use of the death penalty and we encourage all like-minded citizens to continue to express these sentiments at every opportunity possible.
Despite the gloom, Think Centre once again holds out the hope that our fellow citizens can open their hearts and minds, discuss and work together to claim our rights to live an equal life with dignity.
We wish all Singaporeans a meaningful Human Rights Day!
Reference links:
[1] https://www.un.org/en/observances/human-rights-day
[2] https://monitor.civicus.org/country/singapore/
[3] https://www.thinkcentre.org/article.php?id=3146
[4] https://www.forum-asia.org/?p=30931
[5] https://www.forum-asia.org/?p=35985
[6] Response of the Singapore delegation, UPR final outcomes adoption https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1e/k1ewosr6fr...
[7] Proceedings of the ICERD Committee Review of Singapore
Day 1 - https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1d/k1d65s54co
Day 2 - https://media.un.org/en/asset/k14/k14bsxo4nx
