A Speakers' Corner event on the 25th Anniversary of the Marxist Conspiracy

The below is an event organised by the former detainees of the Marxist Conspiracy. This is a positive move towards educating our young about our own history. A pity that the speakers won't be the detainees themselves but more opposition and opposition-linked personalities. This would have its dangers of running into a discourse drawn along political lines rather than one that seeks to inform the public of the historical significance and debate surrounding the use of a law that allows detention without trial, whether it is the form of the Internal Security Act (ISA) or otherwise.


Note: This event has been postponed to 2nd June. Please see here. 


*******************************

Come join us at an open air exhibition from 4pm to 7pm on Saturday 19 May 2012 at Speakers’ Corner, Hong Lim Park to remember the 25th anniversary of the 1987 “Marxist conspiracy”.

Ruminate with social activists Alfian Saat, Braema Mathi, Jeannette Chong Aruldoss, Jolovan Wham, Martyn See, Siew Kum Hong, Vincent Wijeysingha and William Yap as they share personal thoughts on the 1987 “Marxist Conspiracy” and its effect on civil society.

Participate in guided tours through a unique open-air exhibition detailing the lives of the 1987 survivors before and after their ISA detentions.

Walk through mockups of Whitley Road Detention Centre and go back in time with original artifacts and memorabilia from those ISA arrests a quarter century ago.

“Lim-kopi” with survivors of the 1987 “Marxist Conspiracy”, ask questions and get answers directly from activists who had been silenced 25 years ago.

Buy a host of newly published books by social activists who has never-before-told public stories of how they slipped the ISD dragnet, left the country, and are now in exile.

Programme

3pm to 4pm: Arrival and informal chit-chats.

4pm to 5pm: Sharing and reflections by speakers from various sections of Singapore

society. All speakers do so in their individual capacities.

5pm to 6pm: Guided tour of open-air exhibition and exhibits

6pm to 7pm: “Lim-kopi” with survivors of the 1987 “Marxist Conspiracy”


Come and help raise awareness on the potential abuse of the ISA.

Your presence will help reconcile past hurts and unify Singapore again.


Desired outcomes


We hope these activities would:


a. Raise awareness on the misuse of the ISA in the past;


b. Raise awareness of the danger on the continued existence of the ISA which may lead to complacency of the authorities in dealing with real security threats to our country;


c. Work towards the abolition of the ISA; and


d. Press the government to welcome the return of those who have been forced into exile because of the ISA, such a move being the first step towards national reconciliation and healing for all parties.