SINGAPORE, Sept 12: The government of Singapore has barred 20 civil society representatives from entering the country, saying that it is feared they would try to disrupt a conference the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are holding with human rights activists.

An official statement said the government would not allow ‘troublemakers’ and ‘undesirables’ into the country.

The Indonesian government, too, has withdrawn permission for a conference by civil activists at Batam, organised by anti-globalisation groups.

The ban and the cancellation of permission are seen as an attempt to restrict planned activities and a conference by civil society groups that oppose economic policies of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Almost a thousand people from all over the world were expected for the ‘International peoples forum vs the IMF and World Bank’ on the Indonesian island of Batam.

These individuals were accredited by the International Monetary Fund and the bank, a process that clears participants for entry into the host country.

The current move will deprive the plenary programmes and issue-based discussions of a more vibrant environment. This would also deprive activists from airing their views at an influential forum.

Sources in the World Bank said the 20 individuals barred from entering Singapore represented the following organizations: INFID Indonesia, CRBM Italy, Freedom from Debt Coalition Philippines, World Development Movement UK and Focus on the Global South.

All these organisations have received accreditation from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to participate in their official events with non- governmental-organisations.