Riots in Little India

[fat al]

Instead of being the switzerland of the east by 2020, we are becoming the UAE by 2020.

Actually, the UAE citizen is quite well taken care of. Although UAE has a higher proportion of expatriates compared to Singapore, the government makes very deliberate efforts to ensure that citizens are the priority. Their national identity is their race, religion and ancestry. They do not believe in getting expatriates to root themselves in the UAE. Expatriates are hired to get the work done and get out once they cannot contribute to the economy. Expatriates also recognised that they are guests and perhaps are less demanding on what they expect the government should do for them.

On the other hand, the lack of permanent residency and low proportion of citizens in the UAE is sometimes blamed for the quick collapse of the economy during the 08-09 crisis. Though unlikely to be avoided, the downturn may be muted if more expatriates were rooted to the UAE instead of taking the first flight out.

Different strokes for different folks. Who knows which labour strategy is better for the long term?

[Behappyalways]

We are imperfect creatures trying to be perfect. I try to love my parents for a start.^^

I am in tan tock seng hospital with my mum for medical check up. Saw 2 indians accompanied by police for check up.1 in eye clinic. Ha ha wonder if they pay. Sigh tax payer money

May not be tax payer. Might be insurance or employer.

Even if it is tax payer money, it is probably necessary. I wouldn't want disease to spread because some foreign workers cannot afford treatment. Moreover some religion teach universal love and compassion.

If only a lot of people can think like you about universal love and compassion, then the internet would be a better place.

[Temperament]

Without google about past riots in Singapore, i can recall a few.
1) The "Racial Riot" when Singapore was part of Malaysia.
2) The "Hock Lee Bus Riot"
3)The "Pulau Senang Riot"
4) Anyone can remember any more?
i think basically people riots not only because of "herd instinct". But:-

Understanding Why People Riot

Riots are more complex than "criminality, pure and simple."

Published on August 18, 2011 by Ken Eisold, Ph.D. in Hidden Motives

We hear it all the time about riots: "hooliganism" or, as David Cameron put it last week, "criminality, pure and simple." But riots are complex events, hard to reduce to something as simple as that.

It's no surprise that established authorities, feeling attacked, see the violent behavior of their citizens in such terms. They react by becoming dismissive and punitive. The Chinese government used the same language to characterize student protests in Tiananmen Square, as did Arab leaders recently to describe rebellions in their countries.

And often there is an element of truth in such descriptions. If you have ever been in mob that was agitated about some injustice, you know how contagious it can be. Ordinary people, normal citizens, you and me - we get swept up and do things that would be unlikely under other circumstances: shouting, shoving, throwing rocks, smashing windows, and, yes, even looting.

It usually takes an incident to get a riot started, such as an accident or the police attacking or killing an innocent bystander. But once it has begun, the raging mob has a life of its own. Deep-seated resentments, repetitive frustrations and long standing disappointments galvanize people into action. And the mob provides cover, an anonymity that makes it easier to overcome one's usual reticence or moral scruples. One is immersed, engulfed. And it can become an exuberant experience, a joyful release for long suppressed emotions. It can also become manic, driven, a means of restlessly seeking new outlets. Leadership emerges spontaneously and changes rapidly.




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It offers a kind of intense belonging, not dissimilar to what spectators feel at a sports event or fans at a rock concert. But because it isn't focused on a game or performance, it easily gets out of hand. Freud described such "mass psychology" in 1924, in the tumultuous aftermath of World War One. Others have studied it since as a recurrent form of group behavior.

This is not to justify the behavior of the mob, but to recognize that we all can so easily become "hooligans" ourselves. To be sure, delinquents and petty thieves can easily join in under the cover the mob provides. But riots do not rely on criminals or "criminality, pure and simple."

Thinking that way, though, can distract us from the underlying conditions that give rise to such events. They can be appeals to be heard, when normal channels don't work. They can be eruptions of rage, when frustrations boil over. They can be expressions of hope that things could change. And they could be all these things - and more.

Newsweek reminded us last week of something about the recent riots that many politicians would prefer not to think: "If there's one underlying condition that these movements share, it has to do with unemployment and bitter poverty among people who desire to be part of the middle class, and who are keenly aware of the sharp inequality between themselves and their country's wealthy elite."

Distracted by the flames and the looting, we can easily forget that these are, as Newsweek put it: "social revolutions with a small ‘r,' protests against social conditions that have become unbearable.
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14 Reader comments join the discussion here

Quote:-
So this is what the Psychologists said about Some riots
What say you?

[Temperament]

What I envy Jap is they look into having robots to serve them instead of thinking of easy solutions by relying on foreign labours.

Do you encourage your kids to be scientists or engineers?
or follow the same hoard mentality - either doctors, lawyers, accountants or bankers ?

Since most of our kids are going to be bankers, lawyers and accountants, our skill sets are limited to serving the richs and exploit the poors.

Build robots in Singapore to serve us? Go where to find the expertise?? Import FTs?

I encourage my kid to do what he has interest in. If he wants and is interested to be a cook, so be it.

Do you know Spore invest a lot in cancer research? Where do u think we find such expertise? We pay big money for top end cancer researchers to come here. So why cant do likewise for engineering? ST Eng can build tank and weapons and we can invest to build satellite. So why not invest in robots? I think the answer is obvious. Building robots to serve pp dont make big money. Even if Japan is willing to sell their robots, Spore might not want to buy them simply because its expensive and having foreigner workers can do possibly a better job at much cheaper price. But if the robots can replace a soldier, rest assured we will import a million of them so that our soldiers can serve other sectors and create higher GDP.

All human beings whether they are endowed or are not endowed with natural talents, i believe will choose as best as they can the best for themselves in the current situations or GOv's system, no matter what you think.
No?
So no point talking just remember who are the G and why you still like or not like them to continue the policies for you.

Me,? Of course, i could not choose to be a Professional like you.
Not endowed with enough grey matter here "upstair.

So of course you know by now what i have chosen and why, don't you? Not because i don't want to be a Professional but i know i just can not be even if i like very much to be. i don't have enough grey matter upstairs but still enough to choose what is best for me lol.
Amen.
Shalom.

[NTL]

I don't understand why this thread becomes anti-policy or anti-FT/FW. This is simply a case where people get too rowdy and forget that they are in Singapore.

If you still don't understand how it can happen, please visit the area at 9pm during weekend.

[chialc88]

WB always say that he is very lucky to be born in America.
He would had been long eaten if he is born in Africa.

A man who can make full use of the opportunities presented to him and able to live a full-filling and contributing to the society is most admirable.

Our positive thinking will be 1000 times more important as the society turning into a more 'financial & productivity' economy.

We need to use our limited resources to achieve maximum result and bearing in mind that together we can make the world a better place to stay.

Most of us should be able to make it!

天天快乐 behappyalways


A Life not Reflected is a Life not Worth Living.

[chialc88]

NTL, 1 type of rice feed 100 type of people.
Acknowledge that although we are the same but we have diverse background.

Most of us, think in one way but wrote another.
Not to cheat or smoke you but it's how it is.
Extremely rare that a person is able to express himself/his thought as clearly as he write.

in a moment he would have generated many many thoughts, but as he wrote, he can only write one idea at a time.

Just remember, what he wrote... might be reflect his thinking.

Relax and enjoy your day....


A Life not Reflected is a Life not Worth Living.

[countonme]

Probably the authority should understand that everyone need recreational space. So do the low-wage workers. The Angmos can party and eat at clarke quay, boat quay, sentosa (richer ones) etc. But the the south-asians can only get together at cheaper place and enjoy the booze. Bear in mind becos of their low wages, they cannot afford to go to pub but any space for a cheap drink/food. There are many things to learn from this episode. If only one dig a bit deeper. No one is really againt the FTs but we just cannot over-populate them.

I don't understand why this thread becomes anti-policy or anti-FT/FW. This is simply a case where people get too rowdy and forget that they are in Singapore.

If you still don't understand how it can happen, please visit the area at 9pm during weekend.

[CityFarmer]

Police asked us not to speculate or pass rumour but some can speculate that alcohol was the cause ?

Alcohol was likely contributed to the severity of the riot, base on published info. It is not a speculation

Regards,
Moderator

[CityFarmer]

More are happening in the social medias. So far, our VB is doing OK.

Little India riot: Netizens combat racism on social media

SINGAPORE — Netizens were quick to criticise those out to incite hatred or xenophobia online after Sunday’s riot in Little India, as many urged for calm and some tried to take their efforts offline by mobilising friends to hand out flowers in the hopes of making peace and reconciliation.

Some netizens had speculated that the riot was sparked by Bangladeshi workers, while others had sought to make fun of the issue by making racial slurs about those involved. Sunday’s riot was sparked after Indian national Sakthivel Kumaravelu was hit by a private bus at the junction of Race Course Road and Hampshire Road.

Sales analyst Kristabel Soo, who was in the area when the riot broke out, set up a Facebook page, Shut Racism Up SG, at 4am yesterday urging Singaporeans to stand against racism after reading many “racially-charged” comments online.

Ms Soo, 24, said she was shocked and frightened to hear a loud commotion coming from the area, accompanied by the smoke and the orange glow of a blazing fire.

“It was unlike the usual peace we were accustomed to. I feared and realised the importance of being accommodating to other cultures when the event was lambasted online with a slur of racially charged comments,” she said. As of 8pm yesterday, the page garnered over 600 “likes”.

On Twitter, under the trending hashtags, #littleindia and #sgriots, tweets commended the Home Team for their bravery in containing the situation, while others thanked the cleaners who had to clear the debris from the riot.

A netizen, under the pseudonym Thomas Haverford, who took photos of a foreign worker cleaning up the area, wrote: “Yes, some people, likely foreign, DID riot at Little India earlier. But most did not. Let those who are guilty be punished, but let us not use this incident as an excuse for xenophobia, ignorance or intolerance.”

Mr Wally Tham and Ms Amizadai Lee, meanwhile, invited the public to join them in distributing flowers along the stretch of road near Tekka Market “as an act of hope and not fear”.

Said Ms Lee: “We saw a lot of negative reactions from the riot and saw an opportunity to respond thoughtfully and respectfully. There’s no use ranting against people spewing racist remarks and we thought it’ll be more constructive to create something than just talk about it.”

The couple’s post on Facebook soon went viral. While the event was eventually cancelled as they did not have a police permit, Ms Lee said she was “sad, but glad” that many had responded to their appeal. Last night, an appeal to raise money for Mr Sakthivel’s family began online.

The Singapore Police Force also used its Facebook page yesterday afternoon to clarify rumours that were circulating online — an effort that observers felt ensured that unfounded rumours did not take root for long.

The police said its officers had the situation within control within an hour, while they “displayed maximum restraint” and did not fire any weapons throughout the riot to “prevent the incident from escalating further”.

It added: “(The) police would like to advise netizens against spreading unsubstantiated information as they would not only be unhelpful to police investigations, they may also generate unnecessary public alarm, causing fear and panic in the community.”
http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/lit...epage=true