Accredited NGO members banned from entering.
NGO conference in Batam stopped by Singapore.
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http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/060907/1/43ah7.html
Friday September 8, 8:06 AM
Singapore under fire as World Bank-IMF protest
Furious activists accused Singapore of leaning on Indonesia to ban
a conference that was meant to coincide with World Bank-IMF annual
meetings in the wealthy city-state.
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) also alleged a blacklist
against campaigners by Singapore, a day after senior officials at
the Bank and International Monetary Fund issued their own letter of
protest.
IMF external relations director Masood Ahmed and his Bank
counterpart, Kevin Kellems, said Wednesday they were "very
surprised and disappointed" by Singapore's decision to forbid entry
to several NGO members.
"While we understand and agree that security at the meetings is of
paramount importance, Singapore's authorities have not shared any
information that would make us ... consider these individuals as
potential threats," they said.
"Blocking entry of any of these individuals into the country, or
into the annual meetings venue, would undermine engagement with
civil society."
About 20 NGO members who were already accredited by the World Bank
and IMF to attend the September 19-20 annual meetings have now been
"blacklisted" without explanation, campaigners alleged.
The letter from the World Bank and IMF officials underscored that
Singapore, as the host, had agreed to abide by the organisations'
promises of access to NGO representatives.
But Sameer Dossani, executive director of the 50 Years is Enough
Network, which campaigns for the "profound transformation" of the
World Bank and IMF, said the Washington bodies should not be
surprised.
"If the Bank is interested in accountability and preventing
corruption, why are they holding their meetings in a police state
that has openly said it plans to cane protestors?" he said.
Dossani's group was among signatories to a press release that
accused Indonesia of revoking police permission for a gathering of
NGOs that is traditionally held alongside the annual
meetings.
They said that months of planning had gone into the "International
People's Forum" (IPF), which would have drawn over 1,000
participants to the Indonesian island of Batam, a short ferry ride
from Singapore.
Batam was chosen after Singaporean authorities made clear that the
conference would not be welcome in Singapore itself.
"Everything was moving forward just fine until two weeks ago when
we started making press statements, and the Singapore authorities
immediately put pressure on the authorities in Batam to stop this
(IPF) from happening," Dossani said.
The campaign groups noted that Batam's economy relies heavily on
Singaporean tourists, while Singapore is a major investor in
Indonesia itself.
Bank Information Center, which campaigns for "social justice" in
countries where the World Bank and IMF do business, said
Singapore's zero tolerance for dissent made a mockery of the annual
meetings.
"The crackdown on civil society highlights the irony of the Bank's
choice to hold its meetings in a place as repressive as Singapore
while claiming to be a champion of good governance," said Center
executive director Manish Bapna.
"As authorities are denying public rights to freedom of speech and
assembly, the Bank is commending Singapore as the world's most
business-friendly country," he said.
In an annual report this week, the World Bank said Singapore was
the planet's easiest place to start and operate a business.
Singapore has mounted its biggest-ever security operation to secure
the 16,000 delegates from more than 180 countries expected to
attend this year's World Bank-IMF meetings.
Aubeck Kam, director of the Singapore Police Force operations
department, vowed last week that his officers would "use all
necessary means" to stop any violence.
