Setting the record straight
Open letter by Tan Joo Hymn (past president): Setting the record straight
As news reports get more sensationalised every day, I thought it would be helpful if you heard from directly from someone on the “inside”.
I joined AWARE in 1999 and have been on the Exco from 2000 to 2008. I was still active over the last year even though I’m no longer on the Exco, helping out in ad hoc projects etc.
To me, there are 2 separate issues here:
1. The way they took over the Exco
2. The allegations made by the new Exco about the old AWARE
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1. From March 28 to 23 April, they claimed not to know each other before the AGM, and to have no agenda taking over AWARE. But what they said are full of contradictions. Please see http://www.we-are-aware.sg for more details, and I include some choice ones below.
Yes, I agree that the Old AWARE had many areas for improvement, just like many other NGOs, but that does not mean that we deserve to be taken over. This matter is all the more sensitive because it appears that it was engineered by members of the same church. Not talking about religion here is a bit like not talking about the great big elephant standing in the room. Let me give you 2 hypothetical situations:
- A group of atheists decided that they have had enough of people worshipping what they think is a non-existent God. So, on Sundays, a large group of them go to a church and occupy most of the seats in the church, denying regular church goers the space to sit and listen to the sermon, and receive communion.
- A coalition of butchers think that Buddhists and Hindus are the reason that the sale of beef has gone down, so they carry entire carcasses of cows to Buddhists and Hindu temples demanding that the followers be now allowed to eat beef.
Far-fetched? But not really that different from what’s happened here: A group of (Christian) women believe that homosexuality is a sin to be condemned and engineer a take over of AWARE to ensure that AWARE now sends a message that homosexuality, pre-marital sex and anal sex are now classified as negative (and presumably to say that abortion should be outlawed).
We live in a multi-religious, multi-cultural pluralistic society. It is very dangerous when a vocal minority is allowed to take over another group to silence them and to subvert their mission.
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2. The allegations made.
The Comprehensive Sexuality Education is but one programme out of many that AWARE does. Homosexuality takes up all of 2 sentences (and less than 5 minutes) in a workshop that lasts 3 hours, 6 if you include the advanced module.
The 2 sentences that have so many people up in arms are: Homosexuality is normal – true. (discusses as a variant like left-handedness). Homosexuality as a word is neutral (not positive or negative).
Taken in the scientific context, these 2 sentences are accurate. We believe in providing as accurate and up to date information as possible for young people to make up their own minds. For eg. Christians believe in the Creation. But evolution is taught in schools. Are schools then teaching children not to believe in the Creation?!
We also tell the students that some religions have their own views about homosexuality and sex, and that they should respect their own religious and cultural norms, but not to impose it on others. Ie. We believe that it is up to parents and families to provide moral and spiritual guidance to students, while we give information.
In any case, this completely detracts from the 24 years of work done by AWARE. See http://www.we-are-aware.sg/achievements
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Yes, I am emotional and upset because I had spent the better part of the last 6 years at AWARE, working for free, sacrificing time with my children and family because I believed in the cause, in what I was doing. It was bad enough to have the Exco taken over by people with no idea of what AWARE is about, and who were absolutely rude and nasty to staff and volunteers, but to have such lies thrown at us is really adding insult to injury.
If you care about this issue, if you care that Singapore remains pluralistic, where civil society means people can speak up and be heard, and dialogues and arguments be had, where nobody takes over another group to silence them, please join AWARE and vote at the EGM on 2 May. You have to be female, PR or citizen and above 18 to be able to vote. Details of EGM below, but please check http://www.we-are-aware.sg/calltoaction for further updates and in case of change of venue. If you click subscribe to updates, it will help us keep track of who is coming. Please also send me a mail if you’ve joined as a member and are coming for the EGM. (to join as a member, go to http://www.aware.org.sg/?page_id=1078, and print all the receipts and bring to the EGM along with NRIC card).
Date: Saturday 2 May 2009
Time: 2 – 5pm (good to arrive early)
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Some snippets about the AGM and what they said:
Jan to March 2009 – AWARE received around 120 new applications to be members. About 40 were on photocopied forms.
Nearly 80 of these new members attend the AGM on 28 March 2009. They sat staring straight ahead with no expression, not responding even when older members make small talk such as, isn’t the bee hoon delicious? (I mean, how many Singaporeans you know won’t even respond to a comment about food?!). They sat equally expressionless when passionate speeches were made about needing to have some experienced members on the Exco, but then raised their hands emphatically during voting time.
In the end 9 out of 12 Exco seats went to newcomers, 9 people that NONE of us had ever heard of, much less seen before.
In press releases, and the interview on Talking Point shown on Sunday 19 April, Josie claims not to know any of the other Exco members. But at the press conference on 23 April, they revealed that Dr Thio Su Mien had encouraged them for years to join AWARE. 6 of the 9 are also from the same church.
In press releases, and on Talking Point, Josie said that they will honour and build on the history of long time AWARE members. But they sack all the sub-committee chairs, including Braema Mathi, arguably the most experienced person in Singapore on these matters, and also bar Immediate Past President from being advisor to their second Exco meeting.
In press releases and on Talking Point, Josie said that they came to take over AWARE because AWARE had become too diversified. On 23 April, they said that AWARE had become a one issue organisation – to promote lesbianism.
Don’t give up on me, and I won’t give up on you
CHRISTIANS AGAINST AWARE TAKEOVER
So this is me making a stand right here. I have been a Bible-believing Christian for 25 years now. I want first to acknowledge fellow believers who, like me, are shocked, angered, and saddened by the takeover and feel that their faith has been hijacked and their views ignored. I know that a lot of such affected Christians are out there. There is also another group which may not agree with the new team’s tactics but admires its fervour or sympathises with it for the heat it has been getting.
But, most of all, I want to address a crucial third party: Christian women who have been encouraged to stand up and be counted for their beliefs. I wish to appeal to their good sense in these last hours. You may be one of these and have even joined, or are planning to join, AWARE to help swing the votes in favour of the new ex-co on Saturday. Especially if I am describing you, please read on!
Yes, there are times when a Christian needs to make a courageous stand – but, in every event, always ask yourself: For what cause is this? What context does it serve? The current scenario is not one where we are being asked what our beliefs on certain issues are or whether Christianity and homosexuality are compatible or we are being mocked or discriminated against. It is a simple context where a group of well-meaning Christians infiltrated a secular organisation in order to be in a position to dictate their own values in its daily running. In this light, what a Christian may feel about issues like homosexuality is besides the point!
As a secular body, AWARE rightly cannot have a vision that treats women from different backgrounds through the outlook of just one religious system. Indeed, I dare say that an appropriate Christian response is to resist the actions of these Christians. Just as God gave every person free choice and the opportunity to believe, we ought to support the sanctity of this right for others to make up their own minds and live their own lives. Just as we do not force the Christian faith down someone’s throat against his or her will, we should not take over a non-religious organisation for the single purpose of making others unlike us behave as we believe. To do this would be a gross misapplication of the message of Jesus.
If you support the new ex-co’s actions, be aware that you are sending a string of possibly irreversible wrong signals to every Singaporean. Consider carefully whether you are willing to shoulder the responsibility of damages that would affect the longstanding good work of Christians in Singapore. Since the government has chosen not to be involved in the matter so far, whatever happens will be seen clearly by all as the response of particular sectors of society.
Here is my short list of obvious implications:
[1] Support the new ex-co, and you are effectively saying that you condone its quasi-corporate act of infiltration, with related strategies of secrecy, disinformation, moral coercion, and fear-mongering. You are saying that you support its less-than-Christian covert moves more than traditionally Christian ones like dialogue, open engagement, honesty, and clarity.
[2] Support the new ex-co, and we will go down a slippery road with wide-ranging repercussions for all. Don’t believe for a moment that the manoeuvring will stop here. What this invites others to see is that infiltration is the most effective way for small groups of like-minded individuals to seize power quickly — and where will this end? What is to stop any religious or ideological group from doing the same to any social institution at every level? In the long run, who do you think loses?
[3] Support the new ex-co, and you potentially make light of the freedom that is God’s gift to every human being. Against your best intentions, you may send out instead the message that we Christians think that we know better than everyone else and that we are willing to outflank, overpower, and overwhelm if we do not get our way.
[4] Support the new ex-co, and, if they stay and behave as predicted, you will be directly responsible for undoing the trust that many Christians have taken years to build with their non-Christian friends. This is a trust built on mutual respect. You will have made the Gospel of Christ more difficult to hear for years to come because people will think that they know what it is about. You will have created a new generation of Christ-haters.
This matter, in short, is not to be treated lightly. Jesus tells us all to be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves”. There are times to be passionate and helpful in a gungho way, but this is not the time. Christians can be wrong about many things too. So please, by all means, pray for the AWARE debacle to be resolved amicably and for Christians in AWARE, but do not, in the name of our common faith, go in blind support of other Christians because you are Christian!
Yours Truly,
Gwee Li Sui
AWARE EGM 2009 SUNTEC CITY CONVENTION CENTER, HALL 402
CHANGE OF VENUE (AGAIN!)
Official notices from AWARE states that Registration will begin at 12noon, EGM at 2p.m. Bring your NRIC for admission.
Email: egm@we-are-aware.sg
Hotline 9818 0516
Number of volunteers are limited.
Look at the FAQ here first http://www.we-are-aware.sg/faqs#abegm
Swine Flu Outbreak & the misconception about Genetic Research
I smile in amusement, when I recall that just barely a week ago, this article fronted the Today paper
Genetic research: Time for a rethink?
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20090423/tap-275-genetic-research-time-rethink-231650b.html
where they basically qouted scientists who were criticising genetic research, and claiming it wasn’t doing as much as we thought it would.
Barely a fortnight into the Swine Flu outbreak, and scientists all over are scrambling to decode its genetic sequence. Today, I saw a link on the pubmed.com main page, to this page http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/FLU/SwineFlu.html where all the viral sequences are deposited as they get decoded.
According to the TODAY news article, “One facility here, the state—funded Genome Institute of Singapore set up in 2001, has been studying just how genetics can help detect diseases and to treat patients according to their genetic make—up.”
During the SARS outbreak about half a decade ago, the Genome Inst of Singapore played an central role in decoding the genetic code of that virus, and developing a diagnostic kit for it.
http://www.gis.a-star.edu.sg/internet/site/whview.php?id=573&type=wh&cat=News%20Article
http://www.gis.a-star.edu.sg/internet/site/whview.php?id=570&type=wh&cat=News%20Article
That evening I was chatting with one of the researchers from the Genome Inst of Singapore, and we were discussing how, once again, scientific information has been misinterpreted and misunderstood by the laity. In fact, we were even wondering whether the journalist truly understood what he was writing about.
My dad certainly didn’t. The first thing he said to me that morning was “Eh, they’re going to stop all your research leh, all this biopolis, all this genetic research……All wrong, waste of money”
I’m like “WHAT ?!?! What are you talking about?!?” (I’m a developmental biologist — meaning I study what genes are turned on and turned off as the embryo develops into a baby in the mother’s womb”) He shows me the Today paper.
You see, the kind of Genetic Research that the news article was talking about was just one of the many many different experimental strategies that the entire Lifescience research industry uses. But because the words “genes” and “genetics” has become so often used, the public tends to associate ALL lab-based Lifescience / biomedical research as a form of “genetic research”. In a VERY broad sense it’s true — but that certainly wasn’t the way the scientists were using the word when they were criticizing the experimental approach that Today was talking about.
Just like how the laity has often mistaken what scientists mean by evolution (it is NOT about monkeys becoming humans. It’s about how the more babies you have, the more your genes are represented in the population’s gene pool). Or how the laity thinks that when scientists say the evidence that homosexuality is genetic is still controversial, it must mean scientists agree you “learn” how to be homosexual ( what the scientists mean is that the exact genes responsible for homosexuality is not yet clear, but most agree that there is a BIOLOGICAL basis for homosexuality. Genetic basis DOES NOT EQUAL biological basis, when you’re talking to a scientist).
And so the scientists were NOT condemning the entire research industry based in the Biopolis that does genetic research — they were merely criticizing one particular experimental strategy!
With new diseases coming up like SARS and Swine Flu, genetic research is incredibly important – especially those done on a super high speed, super high throughput manner in places like the Genome Institute of Singapore. When viruses are spreading and evolving (yes EVOLUTION in action!*) in mere days, your technology has to keep up. You need to know the genetic sequences of all the different strains that are popping up in the different countries, so that you can make the correct diagnosis, treat people the correct way, find treatments and cures.
So, Genetic Research: Time for a Rethink?
It’s not a re-think. It’s a replay. A replay of how important and essential genetic research is.
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* Note: Evolution in action
Again, when scientists say that we cannot directly observe evolution in action, they are usually talking about it in the context of the evolution of animals like humans and other animals that have been around for quite some time — because obviously the only way to watch that kind of evolution is to travel through time!!!
Diseases like Sars and Swine Flu are really products of evolution in action that we are observing directly now. What is evolution? It is the way gene sequences are altered randomly – because of flaws in the gene- replicating mechanism — , and how the carriers of those genes either die because of the mistakes (most of the time), or occasionally, survive better because of the mistake. If these changes are sufficient to meet certain established criteria, a new strain / species is deemed to have been formed. So viruses responsible for Sars and Swine Flu are newly evolved viruses, and will continue to evolve even has we try to chase it and stop it.
Check out a fellow scientists’ blog : http://www.freshbrainz.com/
MOE (Ministry of Education) Statement on AWARE’s CSE (Comprehensive Sexuality Education)
Please see latest (7 May o9) post “AWARE’s Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) : Re Homosexuality, anal sex, pre-marital sex“
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( Bold highlights made by Mathialee, not MOE)
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Reply to Recent Comments and Claims About AWARE’s Sexuality Education Programme in Schools
1We refer to recent claims and comments about AWARE’s sexuality education programme in schools.
2Sexuality education conducted in MOE schools is premised on the importance of the family and respect for the values and beliefs of the different ethnic and religious communities on sexuality issues. The aim is to help students make responsible values-based choices on matters involving sexuality.
3Core programmes are delivered by teachers but schools do collaborate with other agencies in delivering additional modules. However, in doing so, schools must ensure that any programmes run by external agencies are secular and sensitive to the multi-religious make-up of our society. Parents can choose to opt their children out of these programmes.
4Last year, 11 secondary schools engaged AWARE to run workshops for their students. The number of students involved in each school ranged from about 20 to 100, and each workshop lasted 3 hours. The objectives of these workshops were to provide students with accurate information on Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)/HIV, to help students understand the consequences of premarital sexual activity, and to equip students with skills such as decision-making and resisting negative peer pressure.
5AWARE also conducted assembly talks, typically of 45-minute duration, for students in a few secondary schools. Some of the areas covered in the talks included body image, self-esteem, eating disorders, teenage pregnancies, sexual harassment and the role of women in today’s context.
6The schools that engaged AWARE found that the content and messages of the sessions conducted were appropriate for their students and adhered to guidelines to respect the values of different religious groups. The schools did not receive any negative feedback from students or parents who attended the workshops and talks.
7In particular, MOE has also not received any complaint from parents or Dr Thio Su Mien, who was reported to have made specific claims about sexuality education in our schools. MOE has contacted Dr Thio Su Mien to seek clarifications and facts to substantiate her claims.
8If parents and members of the public know of specific instances where guidelines have not been adhered to, they should report them directly to MOE to investigate. MOE recognises that sexuality education is sensitive. In conducting these programmes, the views of parents will be respected and values taught should not deviate from the social norms accepted by mainstream society in Singapore.
CSE — it’s about SAVING LIVES
I’m glad for the chance to defend the claim that I’ve been promoting homosexuality, as evidenced by my previous blog post where I say
“What do we teach about homosexuality?
We don’t impose our views. In the first 2 sessions, we explore view points by asking the students what they think. Our aim is to open up students to the fact that there are many different views, and to open up their minds to all these different views so that they can think about it, and make their own choices based on their own personal values..”
The claim has been made here http://wherebearsroamfree.blogspot.com/2009/04/so-aware-was-front-for-promotion-of-gay.html
Here below, I copy-and-paste the comment I left on their blog :
Hi,
Thank you so much for commenting on my blog. Although I don’t quite understand or agree with your views, I’m glad that you’ve chosen to debate and discuss it. That’s what AWARE tries to do — both within AWARE, and in our CSE classes.
Now if I were to take a leaf out of the New Exco’s book, I’ll hack into your blog and replace it with my own post, and then blame you for not being vigilant enough against hackers = )
I think many arguements for and against both our views have been raised here.
All I’ll like to say, from my own personal point of view is this.
If I could save the life of just one gay person or one straight person from HIV infection, because he/she remembered my words and decided to use a condom, I would feel I have lived my life well.
I’ll rather stand at the gates of heaven, and say “I’ve lived my life well, because I prevented someone from dying of AIDS”
than say “I’ve lived my life well, because I prevented someone from turning gay”
AWARE EGM VENUE CHANGE — Now at Expo Hall 2
On Apr 28, 2009, noreply@aware.org.sg wrote:
27th April 2009To: AWARE Members
EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGTO BE HELD ON 2ND MAY 2009Notice is hereby given that:1. The venue of the Extraordinary General Meeting (“EGM”) of the Association of Women forAction & Research (“AWARE”) to be held on nd May 2009 , from to5.00 p.m. is hereby changed as follows:Singapore EXPO Hall 21 Expo Drive, #01-01Singapore 486150Admission and registration would be from to on ndMay 2009 .It is mandatory to show your NRIC for admission and registration.2. Messrs Rajah & Tann have been appointed to act as AWARE’s legal advisors to attend theEGM to be convened on 2nd May 2009 to address legal queries relating to, and raisedduring, the EGM including the matters intended to be transacted, AWARE’s constitution andmeeting law and procedure.By Order Of The Executive Committee
Jenica ChuaHonorary SecretaryAssociation of Women for Action & Research
Association of Women for Action & ResearchBlock 5,Dover Crescent#01-22, 130005Tel: 6779-7137 Fax: 6777-0318 Email: aware@aware.org.sg
TWC2 Statement on AWARE
On Apr 27, 2009, notification+yxeenra@facebookmail.com wrote:
Sha Najak sent a message to the members of TWC2.
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Subject: Statement on AWARETWC2 is very concerned about the AWARE leadership takeover. AWARE has been an important important partner in our work to improve the welfare of migrant workers in Singapore and champion for their rights. AWARE has ensured that issues of discrimination against migrant domestic workers are not left out in the CEDAW report and has consulted us in preparing the shadow reports. We have also joined hands with AWARE through its White Ribbon Campaign to raise awareness of the issue of violence against migrant domestic workers. As an established organisation that runs an effective and structured helpline for women in distress, AWARE has been generous in sharing its expertise with nascent organisations such as TWC2. AWARE’s social worker and volunteers have helped us in training our volunteers to staff our helpline service for migrant workers. In addition, AWARE has also taken on issues concerning the vulnerabilities of foreign brides in Singapore and the trafficking of women and children for cross-border sex trade.
The above examples, show that AWARE is far from being a single-issue organisation obsessed with promoting homosexual issues. AWARE is a dynamic organisation that has stayed true to its core mission of championing for the rights of women underpinned by values such as inclusiveness. By advocating the issues concerning migrant domestic workers, foreign brides and trafficked women and children, AWARE has shown that it understands the multiple forms in which discrimination and marginalisation of women can take place as Singapore becomes more globalised. This is largely attributed to a competent leadership that truly understands the multiplicities of gender inequality and the complex social processes that underpin gender discrimination. If AWARE’s future stand to be shaped by a group of individuals that do not have a solid understanding of gender inequality and whose motivation is driven by a single-issue objective, we risk losing a valuable partner in our work. Singapore may also stand to lose as more than two decades of advocacy work that aim to tackle the roots of gender inequality may be lost because of a lack of vision.
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More than meets the eye?
Over the last few days, Singapore witnessed the most exciting elections that has taken place in the country since 1959, the year that the PAP swept to power : The AWARE AGM2009 and the upcoming EGM. To quote the pastor of COOS, you have to be in a coma to not notice what has been going on.
In the briefest summary, Dr Thio Su Mien led a group of women, many of whom attend the church COOS on a crusade to take over the leadership, direction and management of AWARE. She claims the reason for the take over is AWARE’s liberal stance on homosexuality. She claims that AWARE teaches young girls about sex, and encourages them to be lesbians.
In the past weeks, we have witnessed Josie Lau – the appointed president, and her New Exco team FIRE Braema Mathi (Chair of Cedaw) and Schutz Lee (Manager of AWARE), push Claire Nazir ( the elected president ) , Constance Singham (immediate past president) and executive Joanna D’Cruz to resignation , made Caris Lim (Old Guard Exco member) walk out in tears and kept Chew I-Jin(Old Guard Exco member) out of the press conference. Subcomm heads are replaced. The staff has reported difficulties working with the New Exco — who go to the office every single day, to demand all the documents, which they scrutinize down to the last detail. They’ve also changed the locks to AWARE, where a lot of confidential client and research information is kept.
Many people have asked the question : If you disagreed with AWARE’s philosophy, why couldn’t you just set up another organization promoting your own philosophy? The only reason why you’ll take over an organization would be to silence it and stop the work it was doing. Many people believe this work they want to stop and silence is AWARE’s promotion of an inclusive and non-discriminatory society.
However, I am very puzzled. And this is why:
Mar 28 : AGM 09.
Apr 10 : ST reporter Wong Kim Hoh breaks the news, with a highly speculative piece, about the take over. I am shocked, and refuse to believe it. I say so in my Apr 11 blog post.
Apr 15: Josie Lau is appointed president.
Apr 16: Braema is terminated, with effect from the 28 Mar, the AGM.
“Kindly note that your term of office as chairman of the CEDAW
Committee has ceased at the date of the AGM on the 28 March 2009.
Kindly submit all the work in progess by Friday 17 April 2009 without fail.”
Up until then, the CSE team has not heard a word from the New Exco. I am a CSE trainer. Nobody else hears a word from the New Exco either, where CSE is concerned. There are whispers of the New Exco looking into the CSE material, but nothing OFFICIAL is said, unlike what they did with Cedaw. Because of the speculation that is going around online and offline about the fundamentalist stance of the New Exco, and their ties to the COOS church, the CSE team prepares a defense nevertheless. However, they continue to remain silent on CSE, until Apr 24.
Apr 24: They change the AWARE locks, they confess to the plot, Dr Thio Su Mien turns up.
CSE and Homosexuality is cited as the primary reason for their crusade.
It puzzles me that Dr Thio chose to interpret our CSE as promoting lesbianism — since her New Exco had been scrutinizing our material, surely she can’t be that stupid! She’s a lawyer!
It puzzles me that no one has even confronted CSE for nearly one month, not a single official word was mentioned , nor were we given warning.
And then CSE became THE reason at the Apr 24 press conference.
If it was just an ideological difference, why couldn’t they say earlier?
If it was an ideological difference, why did they have to scrutinize so many documents?
CSE was no secret — the material is freely available to the New Exco, and it has contents that only needs 3 hours to cover in a secondary school class! There were no fine prints – all the philosophy was written on my blog even!
And if it was just about replacing ideology, why the need to lie, and lie so badly too? (http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=2784)
Even more puzzling, if it was CSE and the anti-homosexuality-discrimination they were trying to silence, why did they have to fire Braema, and demand all the Cedaw material immediately?
Why was it CEDAW that was under so much fire from the New Exco?
Why did they want to silence CEDAW as well?
What exactly was CEDAW?
“The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is a United Nations convention which seeks to end gender discrimination… In signing onto CEDAW, governments commit to undertake a series of measures to end discrimination against women. Every four years, signatories are required to send a report to the UN CEDAW Committee describing the measures they have taken to comply with the convention. …In order to get a comprehensive picture of the status of women in each country, the United Nations requests that local NGOs like AWARE submit CEDAW Shadow Reports, offering additional insight into the lives of women. In May 2007 AWARE submitted its second Shadow Report. It received excellent reviews from the United Nations CEDAW committee in New York.”
Braema was fired as the Chair of Cedaw – the AWARE Committee preparing and submitting this report.
(The CEDAW subcomm from AWARE and what it does http://www.aware.org.sg/?page_id=57 ; http://we-are-aware.sg/faqs#A11
AWARE’s last Shadow Reported submitted to the UN , 2007
http://www.iwraw-ap.org/resources/pdf/Singapore%20SR%20final.pdf
Singapore’s State CEDAW reports to the UN, 2004 and 2007: http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?page=publisher&publisher=CEDAW&skip=0&querysi=singapore&searchin=title&display=10&sort=date )
If you flip through the 2007 Shadow Report Aware submitted to the UN, you will realise that we touch on 2 potentially contentious areas.
In 10.6 – Sexuality Education, which mentions briefly ( 5 lines out of 143 pages) that homosexuality is criminal here.
And then there is this:
ARTICLE 6 TRAFFICKING AND EXPLOITATION OF PROSTITUTION OF WOMEN
In Singapore, groups like TWC2, HOME are claiming that under the definitions of some countries, but not Singapore’s, trafficking is a significant problem here. TOC has done some very good reports over the last year also, on the situation with transient construction workers. Construction is a huge industry in Singapore, and so plays an important economic role. Any changes is the labour laws are likely to affect many construction firms and projects here. However, the Cedaw report did not touch on construction —- it focused mainly on the women, in prostitution and domestic work.
I ran a google search with the terms “human trafficking Singapore”
Here’s only a small portion of what I found, and I picked only those dated after the 2007 Cedaw reports — ie the 2008 and 09 stuff.
ANNUAL TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT 2008
(Improvement of Singapore’s “Tier 2″ placement)
http://www.parliament.gov.sg/reports/public/hansard/title/20080721/20080721_S0009_T0001.html
Singapore rejects US assessment of its record on human trafficking
Posted: 22 July 2008
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/361835/1/.html
Human Trafficking
CSE and pornography (Commercial Sexual Exploitation – CSE) continue to be major
demand-side factors across the region, burgeoning (often unfettered) commercial sexual
exploitation in destination countries providing ample incentive to traffickers to meet
demand.
Singapore
Singapore is a destination country for young women for sexual exploitation from
Malaysia, China, Thailand, South Asia, and the Philippines. It is also likely a ‘circuit’
country for young women trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation from Central
Asia and Russia
http://www.unodc.un.or.th/material/document/RegionalProfile.pdf
US Department of state
You are in:
Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs > Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons > Trafficking Victims > Victim Stories
http://www.state.gov/g/tip/c16482.htm
Singapore:The Situation
Singapore is a destination country for human trafficking. http://www.humantrafficking.org/countries/singapore
S’porean woman accused of human trafficking http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20081219-109136.html
Sun, Dec 21, 2008 The New Paper
Emerging hotspots in human trafficking
Joe Fernandez | Apr 15, 09 3:21pm “The problem is that countries like Singapore have legalised prostitution. They do not see that anyone can be forced into prostitution. So, they are claiming there is no trafficking of sex slaves. Of course, we are challenging that claim,” Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez told the meet.
http://www.sapp.org.my/mkini/090415_hotspots.htm
Human Rights Issues > Human Trafficking
Directory > Society and Culture > Issues and Causes > Human Rights > Modern Slavery > Human Trafficking
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S’pore falls short of human trafficking standard Written by Nisha, on Monday, 16 June 2008 Published in : The News, June ’08
http://www.youth.sg/content/view/5406/75/
Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery
Republic of Singapore
http://gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Singapore.htm
NGO: Sabah among 3 human trafficking hotspots
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=64257
Pinay hooker in Singapore: Sex machine, punching bag
by Mar Empaynado from People’s Tonight Jul 28, 2008 at 06:05 PM
http://trafficking.org.ph/v5/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2204&Itemid=56
Women trafficked to Singapore lured into prostitution
Sep 1, 2008 SINGAPORE (AFP)
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gmnM4mWGQx52EtIAnioroCZ5u4_Q
The Brothel in Singapore: Karin’s True Story of Slavery
by Amanda Kloer Published April 01, 2009 @ 04:08PM PST
http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/the_brothel_in_singapore_karins_true_story_of_slavery
India asks Singapore to curb trafficking racket
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?618334
Oct 10, 2008
Trafficking of Filipinas in Singapore ‘unabated’–embassy :US to help curb transnational crime
By Veronica Uy INQUIRER.net First Posted 14:22:00 04/28/2008
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20080428-133194/Trafficking-of-Filipinas-in-Singapore-unabated–embassy
Trafficking of Filipinas in Singapore at all-time high: report
Singapore – Human trafficking of Filipinas in Singapore has increased alarmingly to an all-time high to 212 cases in 2007, an annual report from the Philippine Embassy in Singapore said on Monday.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/worldhotnews/read.php?newsid=30064420
Human trafficking: The numbers don’t add up
Philippine Embassy says it’s on the rise here, but police reports show otherwise
TODAY Tuesday • February 5, 2008
http://www.twc2.org.sg/site/migrants-in-the-news/human-trafficking-the-numbers-dont-add-up.html
Malaysia vows action on Myanmar human trafficking
By JULIA ZAPPEI,Associated Press Writer AP – Saturday, April 25
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysia’s prime minister on Friday vowed to investigate a scathing report by U.S. lawmakers saying thousands of Myanmar refugees were handed over to human traffickers and ended up working in Thai brothels
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/ap/20090424/tap-as-malaysia-myanmar-trafficking-1st-b3c65ae.html
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