IMF and World Bank rebuke Singapore
Financial Times : “IMF and World Bank rebuke Singapore“
“The International Monetary Fund and World Bank on Friday issued an unprecedented rebuke to Singapore over a ban on accredited activists invited to attend the annual meetings of the two financial institutions next week.
The IMF/World Bank suggested that Singapore had violated the terms of its agreement to host the event by blocking the entry of 19 civil society representatives, who allegedly posed a security threat.”
BBC: Singapore rapped over protest ban
In an interview with BBC World Business Report, Mr Wolfowitz said Singapore had made a “bad” decision when it blocked activists that had been invited to the event.
“I hope Singapore’s authorities will change their minds and allow the people in that we have accredited as originally agreed,” he added.
He added that was important for the organisation to hold a “strong dialogue” with such groups.
“We may not always agree with what they have to say, but it is very important to have that discussion,” Mr Wolfowitz said.
New York Times: Singapore’s Barring of Some Activists Prompts a Protest
The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, two organizations that repeatedly praise the role of “civil society” activist groups in poor countries, have protested a decision by Singapore to bar representatives of several such groups at their meeting with the leaders of poor countries next week.
The action by Singapore was taken out of fear of protests and violence, according to the Singapore police. But several of those barred were invited by both the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to attend the meetings as part of a general effort in recent years to reach out to nongovernment organizations.
“We believe that all individuals who have been accredited to the annual meetings should be allowed to attend,” the two organizations said Friday. “We strongly urge the Singapore government to act swiftly and reverse their decision on entry and access to the meetings for these representatives.”
This is embarrasing, really.
But what is utterly galling is the appalling quality of local press in reporting. It even has the cheek to headline it as
Police firm on banning undesirable groups from IMF/World Bank meetings
All these from Channelnewsasia.
And in all likelihood the national propaganda mouthpiece /140th press will be conspicuously silent on the World Bank criticisms. I mean, its the World Bank, the very guests we are welcoming who are criticising us for our anal-retentiveness. And yet the local media plays down/ omits theses criticisms.
Sometimes, the sound of silence echoes the loudest.
Edit: The press does at least acknowledge the flak Singapore has received in today’s papers, although this is at least a day late.
great, it finally come down to this…
And yet the garmen still refuse to listen to the outside voices while the local press continue to paly dumb. Singapore’s reputation is getting lower by the day…
Comment by rei_andrew29 cum Pig — September 9, 2006 @ 7:09 pm