Speaking Up

As member states finish their statements on the joint report on enforced disappearances, I begin to notice my heart rate increase. As observer states make their comments, I have a look at the speakers list and attempt to calculate when NGOs will speak, my palms begin to sweat a little. There is less than an hour before I am to deliver my first statement to the UN Human Rights Council and I still don’t even have the text I’m supposed to read! As the list of observer states shrinks, I focus on my breath and remember that the guy helping me has done this for almost 20 years and he knows the limits—but I’m afraid he doesn’t know my limits.

Really, I’ve been a tightly wound ball of nerves ever since I learned that I would go to Geneva by myself to deliver statements at the UNHRC. Some of that stress lifted after the first few days of meetings, but my long-held fear of public speaking was keeping my stomach in knots. Since my first statement was not supposed to happen until Thursday, I figured I would have ample time to practice it in the days before I had to speak. However, other meetings and shifting schedules meant that my guide was still fixing the draft on Thursday morning.

Finally, about 25 minutes before I was supposed to go, he came into the room with the statement and the requisite 20 copies for the translators. I stood in the back of the room reading and re-reading it out loud, all the while timing myself to see if I would be able to read it all within my two minute time limit. Just as I am about to sit down in the section for NGO speakers, my other guide lets me know what to do if I am interrupted—just mark my spot and continue on once the President gives me the go-ahead. This gave me pause, as I had not even imagined that possibility. I asked if it was likely to happen, to which he replied that he didn’t think so.

The chairs are quite heavy and unwieldy, and I was concerned for the elderly woman taking her time to get out of one of the only two NGO speakers’ seats. The speaker ahead of me on the list was using the other chair, and I waited nervously for this other lady to clear out of what would be my spot. Sometimes compassion is hard to come by when you’re consumed with fear. As I finally sat down and got situated the President gave me the floor. I pressed the button for the microphone and waited what seemed like minutes for the red light to turn on for me to speak.

How loud did I need to speak? Was I speaking too fast? Am I going to finish in time? Was that a gavel I just heard? I didn’t have my earpiece in, so it was difficult to hear when the President asked me to stop after just 30 seconds. I marked my spot, put on my earpiece, and waited to hear the member state’s point of order. The delegate said I was off topic for the discussion. The President asked that I please stick to the topic at hand then let me continue. It suddenly seemed as though I had everyone’s attention, as a point of order—only the second of the session—is some of the most excitement one might see during a day of otherwise dry diplomatic delivery.

I continued. Soon, I finished with some time to spare. Despite the struggle out from behind the heavy chair I felt as light as air. I did it! I actually did it! And the worst had happened, and it wasn’t even that bad! In fact, I think it actually helped my cause, as most listening agreed that it was a rather bogus point of order since I was on topic.

I rode on the rush of adrenaline all day. Any fears that I had about delivering the other two statements quickly dissipated. While it was frustrating and nerve-wracking to not have the statement earlier, I think it was probably for the best so that I didn’t overdo it. Later in the week I delivered my other two statements without interruption, and with fewer nerves. It felt great each time I could directly confront representatives of the country responsible for silencing so many of its citizens. Two minutes is not much time to confront a world power, but it is far more time than the thousands of silenced and disappeared have to face their captors. I’m willing to get over some sweaty palms and tight nerves for that.

First Impressions: UNHRC

*Due to technical issues, this posting is arriving a few weeks after the fact...

Earlier this year when I would daydream about my summer internship, the extent of what I could imagine included getting to better know my European colleagues, strolling along the canals in Amsterdam and learning how my office’s European branches work—simple, but new.

I have now been in Europe for less than two weeks, and while I have indeed strolled along some canals in Amsterdam and become acquainted with some of my European colleagues and their office-life, I have also exceeded my greatest expectations by more than tenfold. After just five days in Amsterdam (my home base), my supervisor has dispatched me to Geneva, to take part in the 14th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. And while I had an idea that she might be sending me to the UN, I had always just assumed that she would be here with me. Instead, she has put me in the capable hands of two close connections she has in Geneva, and I have been responsible for carrying the torch for my organization.

I have now made it through the first week of the session. With the assistance of my guides, I have met with Special Rapporteurs and have even given a statement during an Interactive Dialogue. Initially, my impression of the United Nations was based on my 7th and 8th grade Junior Model UN simulations, in which I made a number of rookie mistakes and missteps—thankfully, it was all pretend and the Irish did not actually mind that I had written a W.H.O. resolution in their name expounding the benefits of universal birth control. Needless to say, I entered this real-life United Nations with much trepidation, aware of the real-life consequences to my actions.

Diplomacy in action is really quite amazing to watch, and take part in. While my guide calls it “the jungle,” there is a level of trust and mutual respect within HRC Room XX (the hall in which the HRC meets) that I haven’t seen outside of a meditation retreat in which participants take a vow to respect each others’ space and property. Certainly, it can seem like a jungle at times, with points of order, interruptions, and wholehearted disagreements; but at the heart of it is decorum and order. Somehow just about every voice has an opportunity to speak (assuming the voice is accredited and representing a state, NGO, or NHRI with UN status), and these voices are most likely heard, at least out of one ear. Magically, translators in 6 languages simultaneously translate each delegate’s remarks into the ubiquitous grey earpieces dangling from everyone’s right or left ear.

Initially the prospect of listening out of only one ear was daunting. However, I have quickly come to appreciate the incredible acoustics of Room XX, and have come to see that listening out of just one ear allows one to multi-task to no end. I can take part in a quick strategy discussion using my free ear, then look something up online, send off a quick email and begin drafting a statement for the following day—all the while keeping an eye on when the country or NGO I am paying special attention to comes up on the speakers list. Cell phone conversations are not uncommon, and the acoustics of the room make it so that you only hear the happenings of those closest to you.

I’ll leave it at that for now, with another report from the UN to come soon.

What is Singaporean identity?

Among the homogenous Asian societies, one stands out to be quite culturally and ethnically diverse in its composition. Singapore is made up of Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnic people; and this is what makes Singapore unique. Many people question the traditional values and the existence of a common identity shared by these groups; while others contend that Singapore has lost its Asian characters in the process of modernization trying to catch up with the West. It appears that the focus of the government has been tilted more towards economic development than cultural preservation and cultivation. With this said, the effort to do so is not non-existent. As I navigate for an answer, I see the merit in its government’s policies in trying to construct something distinctly Singaporean and observe the bottom-up evolution of a culture among the people. These two forces are interlaced and mutually reinforcing.

Culture itself is not a static concept, neither is “identity”. Constantly evolving, it is shaped by the people within it. Along with the fast-paced development in Singapore within the last 50 years, this island has created tremendous economic opportunities, hence attracting people from across Asia. It draws people who are willing to work hard to change their lives, people in search of a cosmopolitan lifestyle and of a multifaceted society as peaceful as Singapore. Immigration has constituted and continued to define and redefine Singaporean culture. Looking all around in the region, the countries that accommodate the cohabitation of multiple ethnicities often have a hard time keeping them together, i.e. China and India. The size of the country does matter, as a bigger population breeds a wider range of views and conflicts, but government policies do have a huge impact in creating a nonviolent environment and a rule-based system that would be able to diffuse conflicts and channel opposing viewpoints into something productive and progressive. The system is designed to be able to correct itself to adjust to a balanced midpoint for the good of its people. From here I can tell some observations that I see as uniquely Singapore.

Singlish, or Singaporean English, is the national language, which serves as a medium for its diverse ethnic groups, as well as the medium of international business, science and technology. It is used as an integrative medium bridging these ethnicities, and a typical Singaporean is bilingual. While the use of dual language in school helps ethnic cultures and carry out traditional rituals, it becomes the link most Singaporeans have to their heritage.

In the years that Singapore was striving to achieve economic success, the concept of a “rugged” society was espoused by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew to extol Singaporeans to be tough and resilient, to be rugged enough to face the many challenges on the way to success. I find such guiding principle for developing human capital quite similar to the South Korean way, in which children are raised with the mentality that their nation is still very poor, hence each and every individual is charged with the utmost task of learning, being educated and helping to build the country to match those strong economies in the world. This has produced meritocratic individualism in Singapore today. Singaporeans are developed to be hard working, commerce-oriented and obedient to the law. Under the leadership of an omniscient government, the locals and expatriates alike rely on the rule of law to fulfill their own goals, while respecting the needs of others. Singaporeans don’t only share a language and a well-justified, functional legal system; they also share common institutions such as electoral politics, public education, military service, public housing and so on. Through these social encounters, they strengthen their bond as a community and as a nation. More importantly, these acts of socialization don’t seem anyway to bleach the distinct languages, religions and customs of each ethnic group. Rituals, traditions and simple the way of life as we see in Singapore today can be traced back to the pre-colonial India, Chinese and Malay worlds.

While most countries would rely on a national ideology, such as socialism, libertarianism or kingdom to guide its national values, it seems to have been absent in Singapore. The nation is recognized for its miraculous economic growth, a stupendous system of infrastructure and virtually a cosmopolitan, downtown feel common to any urban city of the West. However, as people are organized into housing blocs, the Asian culture of having nearby food court, newspaper or fruit stalls and “everything” supermarkets never changes.

How has Singapore changed so completely its landscape in such as short period of time anyway? How have the slums of the 1960s turned into modern sterile buildings since the end of the century? How have a Third World turned into one of the First in terms of its per capita income, IMEX, foundation of financial institutions? There is no lack of challenges. Singapore faces the dilemma of how to capitalize on its geography. “Insular” from the world as an island, its small size impels certain dependency on the outside world so as to ensure not to lag behind global movements. Singapore is actively engaged with the Southeast Asian region as well as with the West as one of the financial centers of East Asia. Lee Kuan Yew continues to be of paramount influence in the development of Singaporean culture, as he called for a cultural renaissance in Singapore, where there will be more art exhibitions, jazz bands, museums and alfresco dining. The green city has never lost its charm in my mind since the first time I came. A little bit of adjustments here and there, but it still feels like living in an Asian country with a base of modernization.

Indian girls blowing bubbles in Holland Village

Street restaurant on a nice afternoon

Night restaurants along the Singapore River around Clarke Quay

Food Republic is a chain franchise made up of an array of food stalls. This one is at Vivocity, one of the biggest shopping malls. It is modeled after a scenery at a Chinese market.

Nightlife at Clarke Quay

Huong Nguyen