Activists Defy Protest Ban At ASEAN Summit In Singapore

November 21, 2007 5:23 a.m. EST

(AHN) - Six Singaporean sympathizers to the pro-democracy movement in Myanmar and 40 nationals from the junta-ruled country held different and separate protests outside the ASEAN leaders summit venue in Singapore on Tuesday.

The brief and peaceful protests directed at ASEAN leaders and visiting Myanmar Prime Minister and junta leader Thein Sein defied a ban on such activities but no scuffle nor clash with police occurred.

Four Singaporean activists wearing t-shirts with political messages tried to deliver to the ASEAN summit an oversized greeting card bearing the image of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and containing signatures and messages from Myanmar nationals.

Local police prevented the activists from coming close to the hotel where the summit is being held. They then fetched an ASEAN official at the hotel to collect the card.

Police reportedly took away two members of the opposition Singapore Democratic Party from the area near the hotel. It was not clear why they were taken away.

The third protest at 7 p.m. (11 a.m. GMT) on Tuesday came from 40 Myanmar citizens, who carried a large banner with the words "Listen to Burma's Desires, Don't Follow Junta's Order" and gathered at Singapore's main shopping area on the Orchard Road strip.

The activists in red shirts reportedly protested the decision of ASEAN leaders on Monday to let Myanmar's junta deal with the United Nations about its violent crackdown of pro-democracy protests in Yangon in September. They dispersed when 20 police approached them.

The Straits Times said the Singaporean police will investigate if the Myanmar protesters violated local laws.