Activists say at least 24 more people refused entry to Singapore By Ruth Youngblood

Deutsche Presse Agentur
Published: Sunday September 17, 2006

By Ruth Youngblood, Singapore- At least 24 more people on an "unofficial blacklist" have been refused entry to Singapore for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Work Bank annual meetings, activists charged on Sunday. Among them were representatives of civil society groups calling for "economic justice" and a range of other causes, said Antonio Tricarico, the previously banned head of La Via Campesina.

The disclosure was made at a news conference organized by the Italy-based group, Global South, 50 years is Enough, Gender action and Jubilee South.

While the identities were not revealed, the banned included two South Koreans, a Japanese and an Indian national, said Tricarico.

He and Joy Chavez, with the Philippines branch of Focus on Globalization who was also among the initial 27 banned last week, were among those holding a forum on alternatives to the IMF and World Bank at a Singapore hotel.

Both were allowed to enter the city-state from the Indonesian island of Batam early Sunday following Singapore's lifting of a ban on 22 of 27 activists initially considered security risks.

They are among 164 civil society organizations (CSOs) boycotting the IMF-World Bank event and planned to return to the island where hundreds of activists have been holding a three-day forum.

Chavez said legal action against Singapore authorities was among the possibilities under consideration.

"Enormous hardship was endured by those who were denied entry," she said. "We have still not received any explanation from the authorities as to why we were blacklisted in the first place."

She cited the violation of civil rights and the "extreme danger" they now face from being labeled "security risks."

Singapore had hoped that staging its largest event ever would enhance its drive to become a centre of international conventions, but the treatment of the CSOs triggered an international outcry.

The governments of the 10-members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have been "disappointingly silent," said Chavez, blaming the policy of non-interference in each other's affairs.

ASEAN includes Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar (Burma).

Many civil society forums that were scheduled to be held in conjunction with the meetings were cancelled as a result of the boycott.

Among them was a forum for children in conflict-hit fragile states organized by Save the Children. Forums on public health and water in developing countries were also scrapped to register anger over the blacklists.

The IMF and World Bank had accredited 508 activists from 68 countries.

Prior to the government's turnaround on Friday, 164 CSOs meeting on Batam announced the boycott of all official IMF-World Bank events.

In continuing the boycott, Chavez said, "No apology has been made to affected individuals. No restitution has been made for the hours spent in detention, deportation, or for the re-routed or cancelled flights."

Indonesian authorities initially rejected the holding of the forum on Batam, but then relented with the stipulation that there be no protests.

Singapore regards itself as a prime target for terrorists and beefed up security to the maximum for the event, with 10,000 police and soldiers scouring the city-state.

The city-state has outlawed public assembly since the 1960s and any outdoor gathering of four or more people requires a police permit.

© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agenteur