SFD to establish racial discrimination monitoring committee

Singaporeans for Democracy will establish a racial discrimination monitoring committee that will run with immediate effect to the duration of the UN Special Rapporteur (UNSR) on Racism's submission of his report.

The aim of the committee is to continue gathering information on racial discrimination and to respond to the UNSR's report when he presents his findings on Singapore before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva (in June 2011) and the UN General Assembly in New York (in November 2011).

The committee comprises Dr. James Gomez (Chair), Mr. Martyn See, Ms Rachel Zeng and Mr. Seelan Palay and will be expanded to include additional members.

Following up the visit of the UNSR, SFD has launched a social media advocacy campaign to “remove” Race from Singaporean identity cards. This Facebook group campaign will form part of SFD's efforts to monitor the report of the UNSR.

The idea to remove the 'Race' indication on Singapore identity cards was first raised during a meeting between Singaporeans For Democracy (SFD) & the UN Special Rapporteur for Racism on 22 April 2010. During his visit, the UNSR expressed surprise to learn that Singapore is one of the only places left in the world that states the race of its citizens on their identity cards.

SFD has set up a Facebook group to get more people discussing and expressing support for the idea. Launched yesterday, the group has in less than 24 hours nearly 300 members and growing.

Selected comments on the page include:

1. "I would love to see the day "race" is removed from official transactions in Singapore. The recent requirement for parents to declare the "race" of babies with multi-ethnic backgrounds highlights just how awkward the issue has gotten."

2. "Despite the perks I can enjoy when I have my race on my IC (Javanese)--such as being given priority for certain jobs (eg. 'gardener', 'traditional masseur' and 'village elder')--I am willing to forego these if it means that we can all be recognised as equal Singaporeans."

3. "the best group ever made in facebook."

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=112179402154200&ref=mf

The practice of race identification is outdated in today's post-modern world and only serves to further highlight our differences, instead of our commonality.

April 30, 2010: journalism.sg - Activists tell UN that racial harmony here is a media myth