Singaporeans, do not underestimate your power.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is the effort of all of us, no matter how insignificant or small that brings about change. That unseats dictators. That brings about change. Please remember this.

Take what I did in May of 2008. I wrote a blog criticizing Judge Belinda Ang Saw Ean for bias in the Lee Kuan Yew vs Dr. Chee Soon Juan trial. My passport was detained and I was deliberately kept in Singapore for 6 months waiting for my trial, and finally sending me to jail for 3 months. The purpose of Lee Kuan Yew's government was firstly to punish me for daring to criticize one of his judges. Secondly he was sending a clear signal to every Singaporean that they have no right to criticize and criticism means jail. So in order to do that, they had to give full publicity to my case in their state controlled press.

But all this not only turned out completely counterproductive to Lee Kuan Yew's dictatorship, it hurt them much more than it hurt me. International organizations all over the world picked up my story and Singapore became known as the country that now imprisons bloggers. The European Union, American legislators and human rights organizations all over the world have now been informed of the extent of the repression in that island.

Dr. Chee Soon Juan is repeatedly sued and jailed for his exercise of human rights. Lee Kuan Yew's purpose is to silence him by the punishment. But he refuses to be silent. So this battle goes on unabated, a battle between good and evil, a battle between a tyrant and a human rights activist; and while this happens Singaporeans and the world are reminded daily of the shame of this administration. And day by day, Dr. Chee becomes a martyr who suffers under the yoke. If Dr. Chee has been hurt, Lee Kuan Yew is hurt ten fold and counting.

Recently you have the Kangaroo T shirt case. 3 Singaporeans were jailed just for wearing T shirts with pictures of kangaroos on them. Judge Judith Prakash, who is truly a kangaroo judge for being another of Lee Kuan Yew's lackeys like her shameless predecessor Judge Belinda Ang Saw Ean, sends them to jail, this fact is widely published in the state controlled press as a signal to all that they cannot exercise their right to criticism. In the end of it, if these 3 were inconvenienced by having to go to jail, Lee Kuan Yew, his government and his suppliant judges like this woman Judith Prakash have not just been inconvenienced. They have been thoroughly discredited and their reputations permanently destroyed, by being shown as political judges who use their positions as judges to silence Lee Kuan Yew's political opponents.

Reference the Tak Boleh Tahan protesters. They were peaceful protesters who stood outside Singapore Parliament House on March 15, 2008 to highlight the plight of the poor in Singapore. Just for that, they were all arrested and are now facing trial. If Lee Kuan Yew had hoped to punish and silence them, they have all said they remain defiant. Yet again the world has been put on notice of the abuse of the government that goes on. If these protesters have suffered, has not Lee Kuan Yew and his government suffered much more in their injustice being exposed?

Lee Kuan Yew and his minions do not appear to realise this fact. These peaceful activists are simply not prepared to give up. They are determined to continue. And the more you try to punish them, the more they are determined to stand up to their rights. As this punishment on the one side and defiance on the other goes on between these 2 sides, the world becomes progressively aware of the shame that lies underneath the high rise glass towers and manicured lawns of Singapore.

I want to tell you this. It is not my work alone that has weakened this despot. Neither has it been the work of Dr. Chee alone. It is the work of everyone no matter how insignificant. It was the work of the protesters. The "Marxist conspirators" as Lee called them. It was the work of Mr. Seng who doused Lee Kuan Yew's politician and set him alight causing 3rd degree burns. It was the work of the rag and bone man who threatened to finish off another PAP MP. I do not subscribe to violence, but we cannot discount the fact that it has the effect of discrediting this tyrannical administration.

So you can all do your part, if you dare. Even a single protester standing along Orchard Road with a placard, a lone Singaporean distributing leaflets at Toa Payoh Central, a blogger who announces the injustices, someone who Emails others to expose the tyranny. Each one of these acts no matter how insignificant, contributes and combines into a powerful force. A powerful force for change.

Each one of you can do your part. I have done mine and I continue my agitation. I refuse to stop. The trick is to continue and show this tyrant that you are not afraid. Your daring to stand up to him is what he fears most. Just as any other small time bully round the corner.

Gopalan Nair
39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Suite A1
Fremont, CA 94538, USA
Tel: 510 657 6107
Fax: 510 657 6914
Email: nair.gopalan@yahoo.com
Blog: http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/

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