Yes SGHR has formally disbanded :)... so goodbye SGHR but hello again human rights.
To me it is good riddance cos leaving this "group" is another strategic choice... will explain later.
However I am still proud to be an ex-member of SGHR as it is from there that I discovered and learned activism... I have benefited from each of them and discovered my own strength and weaknesses.
The shotgun birth of SGHR
Just to recap how SGHR started... It never dawned on me that we made a deliberate choice to form SGHR, one situation leads to another... for me it was because of SDP organizing the Burmese candlelight vigil that I got to meet some youthful faces who are concerned about the Burma's saffron revolution and the signing of the ASEAN charter on human rights. I started to know each other and we talked... so pretty much after the candlelight vigil, I felt that their wavelength in approaching human rights are quite similar and we are eager to plan activities together in the near future...
But sometimes without much anticipation, planning and meetings... situations propels us to move together... with the coming of the ASEAN summit, we went through sort of baptism of fire, alot of events were happening and we rush to meet up to discuss what to do and before I can tell myself that I am mentally prepared for it.... I got myself together with three others walking down Orchard Road to hand a petition card "Free Burma, Free Singapore" to the ASEAN secretariat and kanna stop by Police. To tell you I was a bit apprehensive to know that I was going to take part in some form of "public illegal assembly" but I am encouraged by these group of young activist and knowing in my heart, that I am doing it for a just cause.... I ploughed myself into this form of "civil disobedience" and I can say that after the above experience in Orchard Road, the rest of the "civil disobedience" activities we planned were quite a bliss for me.... namely the fear of repercussions naturally subside in me.
Why SGHR and not other "NGOs"
Some people think that SGHR are too "confrontational"... too much like "SDP"... already as we form SGHR, there were members who are known to be "troublemakers". I think the best way to sum up is to relate one incident when a friend ask me to consider other safer NGOs... my reply is this... I dun think in terms of activism there is a one size that fits all, some prefer dialogues with authorities, some wish to only push a certain specific human rights issues like woman's rights, gay's rights etc, some choose to embrace all areas but avoid talking "taboo" or "OB markers" like freedom of expression, political rights etc as they think it is a long term strategic choice not to irk the authorities too much but to slowly convince them to open up step by step...
I guess all roads lead to Rome... but ultimately whoever wants to be in the activism line must answer whether such approach is comfortable to them and he/ she can contribute effectively.
For me I am of no use in joining a large organizations or umbrellas and run by some "top" people where wordings, letters, activities, replies etc must be well discussed and thought off so that the organizations will not get into "unnecessary troubles" with authorities over their articles and events etc... I "kind of" understand their predicament cos if anything goes wrong, the leaders will be haul up and the rest of the group (even for those who might not have directly drafted a letter) will be in trouble.
Basically I am bad in dialogues :(, going to meetings and have to subject myself to some form of party discipline so that I wont babble wrong things in public and that the organizations will not get implicated as well.
And when I join SGHR, I joined because it is a group that can "best" allows me to render my service productively, we are ad-hoc, no leader structure, we are more like like-minded individuals who share the same passion in films etc... and we do things pretty fast and without much "arrowing". For me, I know my strength comes into film-making and I render such service as a labor of love and without much "censorship" too (for SGHR, we are quite open minded in terms of each other opinions)
And when SGHR is deemed "confrontational"... it is just at best "civil disobedience" to break against an unjust law that perhaps are new to Singaporeans (they prefer to dialogue)... but have either results bear fruits.... maybe and maybe not... it is too quick to judge that...
At least for me the best example can be seen in Martyn See's Singapore Rebel incident.... well when Martyn See was in trouble, some people criticize him and said that he deserves it (the Film Act has been in place since 1990s) and Martyn "knowingly" breaks the law by producing the infamous film.... and incurring the wrath from the authorities.
Well my counter argument is this; what other best examples to show an unjust law than to break it... cos only when Martyn See's film got uploaded in youtube and other festivals, then we Singaporeans and the authorities themselves (even MM Lee) can witness the absurdity of such a law in place.
Anyway I am not here to champion about SGHR, in fact SGHR despite being small and highly mobilized, we do have our pitfalls like any organizations.... we have differences in opinions on some approaches and we can argue passionately about the differences... especially so when each of the 9 of us are so energetic and "leaders" or "psychopath" in our own ways. Thus even without banding together, each of us can effectively engage in activism in our own individual ways.
SGHR a poooodle of SDP :P
Some people think we are the opus dei of SDP and people get frightened or dislike of associating too much with SDP. For me, I am non-partisan, not a member of any political party. But for me I embrace alot of Dr Chee's ideals... anyway it is not that he invent the concept of human rights... Human Rights are as old as the trees and both myself and Dr Chee and many others share the same similar vision... vision like freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and naturally when either myself, SGHR, SDP or say Dr Chee have the same vision, more or less we will take part in activities together (Singapore is a little red dot after all)
However I can dare say that Dr Chee at least in the Singapore context has been the forefront of pushing such ideals and lately his actions and courage has caused more people to examine his actions much closely.
As for all the other political parties.... like I believe for the rest of the NGOs, all paths can lead to Rome, for all critics, supporters, kiasi and kiasu Singaporeans who want to do something but are afraid, pappies spies etc, please go DO something instead of criticizing (not that it is not wrong), please go DO something that you are comfortable with... if to you shopping is more important than human rights, I am fine with that too... whatever it makes you and your conscience happy... please do it. If you are uncomfortable with SDP or SGHR or any psychopath... by all means join an organizations that suits you and you can render your best... in fact if you are a Pappiee grassroot internet brigade team (if ever there is such as one more secretive than the Priory of Sion) go ahead and pappy if you think your actions are patriotic to one nation under Lee :P
Now for the rest of the unknown human rights "fanatics" or potentially social disorder personalities... here are the good news:
Join us but not SGHR
I was a christian for 12 years, even if I no longer holds on to the faith... but so many wonderful examples from the bible itself. So here's one for you... Jesus raise up from his grave and ascend to heaven leaving 11 disciples (motley crew of fisherman... and in Singapore context... if you go to Pasir Panjang Fishmarket... you will see alot of Phu Chu Kang there) to go out and preach to all nations.
But then there is Saul who have not seen Jesus or the disciples before and in fact a tormentor of this bizarre new age religion called Christianity until he himself got converted and martyred.
So the message is this SGHR disbands for a strategic choice.... we will like to see more Singaporeans joining the cause as a leader and follower at the same time.... to us having SGHR has a liability tag on us... we cannot expand more than 9 people or else we run foul of the societies act and we never like the idea that once in a group, you somehow have to subscribe a certain sense of "loyalty" to this group so much so that other groups will withhold certain information or people will label a groupie tag on us... whatever nice names people can call themselves... it is just some fanciful names like a salesman calling themselves sales executive or sales director and all the bs. Again what is more important is the belief of human rights that you are pursuing and you only wish that one day more and more people will pursue together as well (but never be afraid that you are in the minority.... a movement has to start from zero anyway)
And in all humbleness, we all 9 of us are your equals, we hope that without any baggage or linkage to SGHR, we do not want to say our views are "better"... we hope that as each of us continue our own individual activism, we will somehow (very often i think) do things together again on ad-hoc basis and in high mobility fashion but most importantly with new faces.... :)
Already I am encouraged that recently myself, Martyn and Seelan thought over who will be the new faces that does video as a form of activism... but looking carefully in youtube there are already new people contributing their works (people whom I have never rub shoulders with) and I guess it is a viral effect... as more people engage in their form of activism, it will influence others to do their own too. Just as I did not join SDP, Dr Chee has by and large play quite a big influence in my involvement with activism.
Even if there are "new blood" who for some reasons choose to engage in their own form of activism and not work with us.... we are definitely more delighted and encouraged to know that all of us are individuals and that despite our differences, we all are at least trying.
So go on, be crucified :)
Lastly some other announcement of alternative news of the Chees Vs the Lees (that has been quite hot while I was in Maldives)... you can ever get to read the actual transcript and hear the audio recordings of what transpired in the court case.
namely go to www.theonlinecitizen.com, http://singaporerebel.blogspot.com/
