SINGAPORE – People gather to remember 21 May, the “Operation Spectrum”!
1 June 2009 2:38 am

On
21 May 1987, 22 people in Singapore were detained without trial under
the internal security act (ISA). To commemorate the anniversary people
gathered calling for the end of the act.

On
21 May 1987, 22 people in Singapore were detained without trial under
the internal security act (ISA). To commemorate the anniversary people
gathered calling for the end of the act. Below is the announcement of
the event.

On 21 May 1987, 22 young social workers,
lawyers, businessmen, theatre practitioners and other professionals
were detained without trial under the internal security law and accused
of "being members of a dangerous Marxist conspiracy bent on subverting
the PAP ruled government by force, and replacing it with a Marxist
state". A second wave of arrests took place on June 20th the same year.

The
detainees were forced to make false confessions by the way of mental
and physical torture. They were subjected to harsh and intensive
interrogations, deprived of sleep and rest, some for as long as 70
hours in freezing cold rooms. All of them were stripped of their
personal clothings, including spectacles, footwear and underwear and
were made to change into prisoners' uniforms.

Most of them were
made to stand during interrogation for over 20 hours and under full
blasts of air conditioning turned to the lowest temperature. Under
those conditions, one of them was repeatedly doused with cold water.
Most were hit in the face while others were assaulted on other parts of
the body. Threats of indefinite detention without trial were also made
to them should they continue to deny the intentions that they have been
accused to harbour.

They were then compelled to appear on TV
with their confessions and were told that their release would be
dependent on their performance on TV.

On 21 May 2009, which marks the
22nd anniversary of "Operation Spectrum", a group of concerned
Singaporeans gathered at the Speakers Corner to speak out against the treatment
of detainees without trial under the ISA.