Ex-ISA Detainees Remember 1987 Arrests

The Straits Times published this article on 22 May 2009:

Ex-ISA detainees remember 1987 arrests
By Sue-Ann Chia from The Straits Times

TWENTY-TWO years after their arrest under the Internal Security Act (ISA), at least four of the former detainees attended an event yesterday to commemorate the incident.

They were at the Speakers’ Corner to remember May 21, 1987 - the day 16 Singaporeans were held under the ISA, which provides for detention without trial.

They were accused of being members of a Marxist conspiracy to topple the Government through illegal means. Another six were arrested on June 20 that same year.

Yesterday, a crowd of about 50 people heard the organisers - a group of activists led by artist-cum-film-maker Seelan Palay - criticise the internal security law.

Wearing T-shirts proclaiming their opposition to the ISA, they called for the law to be abolished.

They also suggested setting up a ‘truth and reconciliation committee’ to examine if the arrests were justified and to look into human rights abuses suffered by the detainees 22 years ago.

A poem titled That We May Dream Again, from a new book of the same title by former ISA detainees, was read.

The activists wrapped up the 30- minute event by singing the Bob Dylan song Blowing In The Wind.

Those present at the event included opposition Reform Party secretary- general Kenneth Jeyaretnam, film- makers Tan Pin Pin and Martyn See as well as Singapore Democratic Party’s Gandhi Ambalam and Chee Siok Chin.

Ex-detainee Vincent Cheng, 62, declined to comment.

But another, Ms Teo Soh Lung, 60, said: ‘I’m touched that they remember things from so long ago.’

She noted the event was organised by young people whom she described as very courageous. ‘I hope there can be more openness. I hope the ISA will be abolished.’