Singapore: Silent protests organized by handful of Singaporeans as ousted Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa He arrived here last Thursday, leaving behind a financially devastated country.
shortly after his arrival Singapore On Thursday, police reminded any potential protesters about the consequences of breaking the law.
“Police ask that the public, Singaporeans, residents, work pass holders and social visitors alike comply with our local laws.
“Anybody attending a public gathering that is illegal will be prosecuted,” The Straits Times quoted police as saying on Sunday.
In a Change.org petition created on Thursday, the day Rajapaksa landed in Singapore, blockchain businessman Raymond Ng wrote that he had filed a police report against Rajapaksa in Singapore for money laundering, which was his “loyalty to the Republic of Singapore”. was compelled.
As of Saturday, more than 2,000 people have signed the petition, although it is not known how many of these were unique or were from Singapore.
Many Sri Lankans are also tagging the Singapore government’s Twitter account on Twitter to express anger over the republic’s decision.
These tags, which appear when users search for who has interacted with the government’s Twitter account, were swiftly removed, according to a Singapore daily report.
But there were some who thought Singapore was within its rights to allow Rajapaksa to enter. He noted that when he arrived at Changi airport on Thursday, he was still the President of Sri Lanka.
Rajapaksa formally resigned on Friday, in view of the 72-hour chaotic situation in the beleaguered nation, in which protesters stormed several iconic buildings, including the residences of the president and prime minister, in Colombo.
A Singaporean lawyer of South Asian descent, who requested anonymity, said he was “shocked and hurt” by the Singapore government’s decision to allow Rajapaksa to travel to the country.
“Parliament is not meeting in Sri Lanka to see where all the money has gone? The same person who is responsible for the economic disaster and has fled – why should Singapore be a country that is a stop for it?”
The lawyer further added, “Any Sri Lankan, whether Tamil or not, will feel a sting that he is around us here in Singapore.”
The 81-year-old retired criminal law professor from Singapore of Tamil origin said, “Lee Kuan Yew always said that Sri Lanka is a good example of how we should not treat minorities. A divisive policy is dangerous. So, for him (Rajapaksa). It is a shame to let ) into the country now.”
Dr Lahiru Wijedasa, a conservation biologist who is a Singaporean of Sri Lankan origin, said Rajapaksa was “a free man” who had no criminal convictions and had “legitimately left” Sri Lanka.
“So, I don’t think we are sheltering him (in Singapore). Just expanding on-arrival visa facilities to all Sri Lankans,” Wijedassa said.
Feather instagram, Yashora SamardiwakarA Sri Lankan in Singapore called for greater sensitivity from everyone talking about the Sri Lankan crisis, where food, gas and electricity are in short supply.
“For you, it’s funny news on your feed; for them, it’s their life/reality. The people of Sri Lanka don’t deserve this,” she wrote.
Meanwhile, a silent protest was held at Speakers Corner in Hong Lim Park on Saturday against Singapore’s decision to let Rajapaksa into the country, but it drew spectators, according to The Straits Times.
Prabhu Ramachandran, 34, the organizer of the People’s Voice (PV) candidate for the 2020 general election, said, “Hardly nobody is speaking about it. I thought someone should speak about it, the message that the rest of us share.” Sending people to the world and the international community with Gotabaya Rajapaksa here.”
“He is unwanted. He is a politically exposed person. Contrary to what has been said, he is not just another Sri Lankan with a passport. Why are we taking him in?”
Prabhu, who works in finance, announced the protest on Facebook on Friday morning under the name Deport Sri Lanka’s former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Initially scheduled to run from 4 pm to 6 pm, they ended it at 4.48 pm due to low turnout.
Speakers Corner is the only place in Singapore where protests can legally take place without a permit.
The only other speaker at the protest was blogger Leong Seiz Hian, 68, who was also a former PV candidate.
He questioned why Rajapaksa decided to resign only in Singapore. He and Prabhu also sought details of Rajapaksa’s bank accounts to be made public here.
According to the Singapore government, Rajapaksa has been allowed to enter the city-state on a “private visit”.
shortly after his arrival Singapore On Thursday, police reminded any potential protesters about the consequences of breaking the law.
“Police ask that the public, Singaporeans, residents, work pass holders and social visitors alike comply with our local laws.
“Anybody attending a public gathering that is illegal will be prosecuted,” The Straits Times quoted police as saying on Sunday.
In a Change.org petition created on Thursday, the day Rajapaksa landed in Singapore, blockchain businessman Raymond Ng wrote that he had filed a police report against Rajapaksa in Singapore for money laundering, which was his “loyalty to the Republic of Singapore”. was compelled.
As of Saturday, more than 2,000 people have signed the petition, although it is not known how many of these were unique or were from Singapore.
Many Sri Lankans are also tagging the Singapore government’s Twitter account on Twitter to express anger over the republic’s decision.
These tags, which appear when users search for who has interacted with the government’s Twitter account, were swiftly removed, according to a Singapore daily report.
But there were some who thought Singapore was within its rights to allow Rajapaksa to enter. He noted that when he arrived at Changi airport on Thursday, he was still the President of Sri Lanka.
Rajapaksa formally resigned on Friday, in view of the 72-hour chaotic situation in the beleaguered nation, in which protesters stormed several iconic buildings, including the residences of the president and prime minister, in Colombo.
A Singaporean lawyer of South Asian descent, who requested anonymity, said he was “shocked and hurt” by the Singapore government’s decision to allow Rajapaksa to travel to the country.
“Parliament is not meeting in Sri Lanka to see where all the money has gone? The same person who is responsible for the economic disaster and has fled – why should Singapore be a country that is a stop for it?”
The lawyer further added, “Any Sri Lankan, whether Tamil or not, will feel a sting that he is around us here in Singapore.”
The 81-year-old retired criminal law professor from Singapore of Tamil origin said, “Lee Kuan Yew always said that Sri Lanka is a good example of how we should not treat minorities. A divisive policy is dangerous. So, for him (Rajapaksa). It is a shame to let ) into the country now.”
Dr Lahiru Wijedasa, a conservation biologist who is a Singaporean of Sri Lankan origin, said Rajapaksa was “a free man” who had no criminal convictions and had “legitimately left” Sri Lanka.
“So, I don’t think we are sheltering him (in Singapore). Just expanding on-arrival visa facilities to all Sri Lankans,” Wijedassa said.
Feather instagram, Yashora SamardiwakarA Sri Lankan in Singapore called for greater sensitivity from everyone talking about the Sri Lankan crisis, where food, gas and electricity are in short supply.
“For you, it’s funny news on your feed; for them, it’s their life/reality. The people of Sri Lanka don’t deserve this,” she wrote.
Meanwhile, a silent protest was held at Speakers Corner in Hong Lim Park on Saturday against Singapore’s decision to let Rajapaksa into the country, but it drew spectators, according to The Straits Times.
Prabhu Ramachandran, 34, the organizer of the People’s Voice (PV) candidate for the 2020 general election, said, “Hardly nobody is speaking about it. I thought someone should speak about it, the message that the rest of us share.” Sending people to the world and the international community with Gotabaya Rajapaksa here.”
“He is unwanted. He is a politically exposed person. Contrary to what has been said, he is not just another Sri Lankan with a passport. Why are we taking him in?”
Prabhu, who works in finance, announced the protest on Facebook on Friday morning under the name Deport Sri Lanka’s former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Initially scheduled to run from 4 pm to 6 pm, they ended it at 4.48 pm due to low turnout.
Speakers Corner is the only place in Singapore where protests can legally take place without a permit.
The only other speaker at the protest was blogger Leong Seiz Hian, 68, who was also a former PV candidate.
He questioned why Rajapaksa decided to resign only in Singapore. He and Prabhu also sought details of Rajapaksa’s bank accounts to be made public here.
According to the Singapore government, Rajapaksa has been allowed to enter the city-state on a “private visit”.