Why
"Democracy Now"? ---making film for foreign
audience?
They protested.They walked.They shouted.They were actors.
Director and camera man---
Timothy Cooper,
Executive Director of Worldrights
2...
He said: 'I'm not that sophisticated to be able to analyse politics
in Singapore.'
Mr Cooper denied
being linked with any human rights group and
claimed he was working on a political novel.
Mr Gandhi denied any knowledge of Mr Cooper or of his filming their
march...
Although he claimed to have chanced upon the group near the Istana,
he was spotted near them at Hong Lim Park....
2.
a liar or invited camera man or both?
3..
WHO IS THIS MAN AT SDP PROTEST?
He claims he's 'curious' photo buff, but he's really...
JUST who is this man who was seen filming Singapore Democratic
Party (SDP) members outside the Istana yesterday?
By Crystal Chan
18 September 2007
JUST who is this man who was seen filming Singapore Democratic
Party (SDP) members outside the Istana yesterday?
He was dressed in a long-sleeved white shirt, black jeans, and
carried two camera bags.
On being approached by The New Paper, he introduced himself as an
American named Timothy Cooper and claimed he was a photography
enthusiast.
He said: 'I've been travelling around South-east Asia and I came to
Singapore to take photos. Singapore is physically gorgeous. There's
nice scenery and people here are kind and generous.'
The SDP group included Ms Chee Siok Chin - SDP chief Chee Soon
Juan's sister - and party chairman Gandhi Ambalam.
They and others wore T-shirts with the words 'Democracy Now'.
They had gathered at Speakers' Corner at Hong Lim Park, then walked
to Parliament and the Istana.
Mr Gandhi passed a letter, addressed to Prime Minister Lee Hsien
Loong, to an official outside the Istana.
Said Mr Cooper: 'I was taking pictures of the President's palace
when I saw this group.
'I was curious about them so I started filming them.
'Protests are a way of life in Washington. Groups gather to protest
for all sorts of things, from farmers' rights to the Iraq
war.'
During our conversation, he touched on themes such as free speech,
democracy and the right toprotest.
DENIES GETTING INVOLVED
When told that the Government here has a policy against foreigners
getting involved in local politics, Mr Cooper claimed he was not
doing that.
He said: 'I'm not that sophisticated to be able to analyse politics
in Singapore.'
Mr Cooper denied being linked with any human rights group and
claimed he was working on a political novel.
Mr Gandhi denied any knowledge of Mr Cooper or of his filming their
march.
He said: 'We posted details of today's march on our website. Anyone
could have found out about our event.'
The website invited the public to see the group off at Hong Lim
Park and join them for a candlelight vigil at Queenstown Remand
Prison.
The New Paper later discovered a few things that did not tally with
Mr Cooper's words.
Although he claimed to have chanced upon the group near the Istana,
he was spotted near them at Hong Lim Park.
Checks also showed that he is the executive director of
Worldrights, a four-year-old US-based non-profit human rights
organisation.
A picture on the organisation's website showed that he was the same
man interviewed by The New Paper.
Worldrights' website states that Mr Cooper has appeared before many
international human rights bodies, including the UN Commission on
Human Rights.
When The New Paper tried to call him on his handphone, he did not
answer, but a voice mail response identified him as the Worldrights
executive director.
So, was it coincidence that a human rights activist happened to be
present at the SDP protest? Or was the protest stage-managed for
the benefit of a foreign audience?
From the Istana, the SDP members walked to Queenstown Remand
Prison, where Mr Chee is serving a three-week jail term. Mr Cooper
was no longer with them.
Dr Chee was jailed on 4 Sep after failing to pay an $8,000 fine for
leaving Singapore while bankrupt.
The SDP members, with Dr Chee's wife and three children, held a
candlelight vigil outside.
When asked if they had a permit for their march, Mr Gandhi said:
'Why do I need a permit when I'm just walking from one place to
another?'
However, the police said the group had ignored their advice not to
break the law.
Mr Gandhi said the demonstration was to mark the first anniversary
of the SDP'sattempt to protest during the IMF-World Bank meeting
here last year.
---The New Paper 17.09.2007.
