GENEVA CONVENTIONS BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

3.35 p.m.

The Minister for Health and Home Affairs (Mr Chua Sian Chin): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The Geneva Convention Bill is to give effect in Singapore to the four Conventions adopted at the Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries held in Geneva in 1949. It is the intention of the Singapore Government to accede to the four Conventions, the texts of which are set out in the Schedules to the Bill.

To-date, the Conventions have been acceded to by 132 countries. It is considered desirable that Singapore should now formally join in with those countries in upholding the fundamental objective of the Conventions, which is the observance of certain principles of human rights in situations of armed conflict.

Broadly, the Conventions lay down basic humanitarian rules, which should be observed by all contracting parties, in all cases of declared war or of any other armed conflict which may arise between two or more of the contracting parties, even if the state of war is not recognised by one of them. They also apply to all cases of partial or total occupation of the territory of a contracting party, even if such occupation meets with no armed resistance.

The first Convention deals with the amelioration of the condition of the wounded and sick of the armed forces in the field. The second Convention deals with the amelioration of the condition of wounded, sick and shipwrecked members of armed forces at sea. The third Convention deals with the treatment of prisoners of war. The last Convention deals with the protection of civilian persons in time of war.

The Conventions specify that persons taking no active part in hostilities and those out of action due to illness, wounds, captivity or any other cause, should be humanely treated and protected against inhuman treatment, and that those who suffer should be given relief and care without distinction.

The Conventions also lay down certain minimum standards which contracting parties should also observe in the case of an armed conflict not of an international character occurring in the territory of one contracting party.

However, the Conventions should in no way prevent a state from exercising its rights of sovereignty and punishing, on the basis of its own national law, any person guilty of undermining the security of the state.

In accordance with the obligations prescribed in the Conventions, this Bill makes it an offence punishable with life or up to 14 years' imprisonment for any person to commit any of the grave breaches set out in the Conventions. The Bill also contains procedural safeguards for the trial and defence of a protected prisoner of war, a protected internee or a person accused of grave breaches set out in the Conventions.

With the formal accession by Singapore to the four Conventions and the incorporation of the Singapore Red Cross Society by an Act of Parliament, the Singapore Red Cross Society will now be able to take its place in the League of Red Cross Societies at Geneva and participate with other national Red Cross Societies in the affairs of the League.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Chua Sian Chin].

Bill considered in Committee.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

3.42 p.m.

Clauses 1 to 4 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 5 -

Amendment made:

In page 5, line 21, after "and", to insert "at". -[Mr Chua Sian Chin].

Clause 5, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 6 to 12 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

First to Fourth Schedules inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Bill reported with an amendment; read a Third time and passed.