IBON research director Antonio Tujan said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should avoid imitating the example of Singapore, which hosted the recently-concluded International Monetary Fund (IMF)-World Bank annual meeting. The island-state had banned certain individuals and organizations from entering Singapore, despite the fact that they had already received accreditation from the IMF and World Bank to participate in official events with non-government organizations.

An international officer of IBON Foundation, Marevic Parcon, herself experienced being detained for more than an hour by Singapore immigration. Authorities also told her that she could not return to Batam, Indonesia, where she is participating in the International People's Forum vs. the IMF and World Bank, through Singapore.

As President of the host country for the 12th ASEAN summit, Pres. Arroyo should ensure that civil society groups and non-government organizations have free reign to participate in official events, said Tujan. However, the National Organizing Committee of the ASEAN summit has already announced that it will impose stricter security for the five-day summit. Malaca ƒÆ’ ±ang has also ordered the Philippine National Police to increase the number of security forces for the ASEAN meet.

Tujan also expressed concern over the apparent red scare tactics being used by Cebu officials, such as Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osme ƒÆ’ ±a's plan to arm the city's barangay captains in mountain villages to fight "unlawful elements", and the arrest of two activists ƒâ€š   in Cebu last September 1. "We hope that these are not a prelude to a Singapore-like situation in the upcoming ASEAN summit," Tujan said.

He added that the red scare tactics are meant to create an excuse for preventing any civil society participation in the upcoming ASEAN summit, whether in the form of holding parallel conferences or protests.

According to Tujan, both the national government and Cebu local officials should live up to the chosen theme for the summit of "One Caring and Sharing Community".

| More...