Dai Huiyu
The Epoch Times
17 June 2005
On June 10, 7:40 a.m., Nie Shuwen from Taiwan boarded an airplane bound for Singapore. Upon arrival, Nie was denied entry and forced to deport. At the same time, a box of books titled Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party that was being carried by her traveling companion got confiscated. On that same day, Nie boarded an Eva Airlines Flight BR226 back to Taiwan.
Upon arrival at Jiang Kai Shek International Airport in Taiwan at 5:30 p.m., a press conference was immediately held. Nie said it was unacceptable for Singapore to violate human rights and called upon the Singapore government not to concede to pressure exerted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Nie stated that the reason for her trip to Singapore was to participate in an experience sharing conference for Falun Gong practitioners. Just as she was about to go through customs, an officer checked her passport and said, Weve already been notified by Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA). You do not meet the regulations so are not allowed entry.
The officer could not give a precise explanation as to which regulations were not met. Nie said that after continuous questioning, the officer then stated, Im not allowed to tell you the reason. Im just following orders sent by the ICA.
When Nies traveling companion questioned the officer if it was because of her practicing Falun Gong that the Singapore government would not grant her entry, this officer did not deny it at the time.
Nie stated that when the officer who was responsible for her deportation found out that the Singapore government seemed to have denied her entry just because she was a Falun Gong practitioner, the officer was very shocked. She further stated that Singapore as a democratic country yet wouldnt allow entry to a compassionate Taiwan citizen and that she planned to contact the foreign affairs department in Taiwan and express a serious protest against the Singapore government.
As soon as members of the Taiwan Falun Dafa association learnt of the incident, they immediately contacted the Taiwan Representative Office in Singapore. According to an assistant named Song, officials at Singapore Airport had a name list and Nies name was on it.
The leader of Taiwans Falun Dafa Association, Zhang Chingxi, stated that the Singapore governments actions were disappointing. Could it be that Singapore is now a colony of the CCP?
Zhang called on the Singapore government to by no means be an accomplice to the CCP. The CCP is currently facing a wave of withdrawals and will be broke up and disintegrated soon. Singapore should definitely not be buried along with the fall of the CCP. Zhang also called on all countries around the world that enjoy independence, liberty, and human rights to condemn Singapores actions that betray the freedom of belief.
Zhang said that after Nies incident, the Falun Dafa association in Taiwan has already brought the issue to the attention of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Lu Michael Ching-long stated that the Taiwan government would seriously protect the rights of Taiwan citizens and that the Department of Foreign Affairs is in contact with the Singapore government but has received no response.
This is not the first time that the Singapore government has ruled unjustly against Falun Gong practitioners. On February 23, 2003, two female Falun Gong practitioners, Cheng Lujin and Ng Chye Huay, were practicing Falun Gong exercises in Esplanade Park and were later charged by the Singapore government in May 2004 with eight counts including “Assembly without a Permit” and for “Possession and Distribution of VCDs without a Certificate.”
The hearings in court lasted for a year and on April 27, 2005; the Singapore court passed a heavy sentence on the two plaintiffs, imposing individual fines of S$24,000 (US$14,318) and S$20,000 ($11,932). The plaintiffs insisted on their innocence and refused to pay the fines. Consequently they were detained in Changi womens prison. Both women later went on a hunger strike to protest the injustice. Under pressure, their families paid the fines and both women were released on May 3, 2005.