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Asean Civil Society Responds to Sec-Gen's Comments |
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It is a rare occasion that both the
ASEAN Chair and the ASEAN Secretary-General sit down to dialogue with
hundreds of civil society representatives, and expectations were
understandably high. However, it was a surprise that it was
Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan who caused consternation by his
responses to matters raised at the ASEAN Civil Society Conference
dialogue session on the weekend.
Mr. Gus Miclat, Executive Director of
Initiatives for International Dialogue said: “We welcome his
recognition of the ASEAN Civil Society Conference as an opening to
dialogue but we don’t welcome his shifting of the blame to civil
society if ASEAN fails. Dr Surin urged us to push our agenda with our
national governments, but failed to recognize that the main problem is
what happens to ASEAN people when they try to engage repressive
governments. Civil society groups that have tried to engage their
governments on ASEAN Charter-related issues such as human rights and
democracy have been subjected to serious and even brutal retaliation in
member states such as Burma, Laos, and even the Philippines.”
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To engage or disengage!
A Report from the Civil Society Dialogue with ASEAN Heads of Government/ State
28 February 2009, Hua Hin/Cha-am
The
civil society representatives decided to continue the engagement with
the ASEAN and attended the interface with the ASEAN leaders today
although they had initially contemplated staging a walkout when
colleagues from Burma and Cambodia were barred from attending the
interface by their respective governments. The underlying need to
maintain open, continued and constructive dialogue in order to ensure
the voices and concerns of ASEAN peoples are heard propelled the civil
society representatives to unite and stand in solidarity and engage
with the ASEAN leaders. The civil society representatives decided to be
introduced to the ASEAN leaders as the voices of ASEAN and not by
country or organisational affiliation.
The
dialogue facilitated by the Thai government as the Chair of ASEAN
created the platform for critical and constructive dialogue between the
ASEAN civil society and state leaders. Civil society representatives
shared concerns and welcomed the responses from the ASEAN Chair, Thai
Prime Minister Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva. In a promising move, the ASEAN
Chair and the Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kasit Piromya had
decided to meet the Burmese and Cambodian representatives at the end of
the interface. Ms. Wathshlah Naidu (Malaysia) took the opportunity to
“Invite all the other ‘people-oriented’ ASEAN leaders to join in the
dialogue which was to take place immediately after the interface to
ensure a united and inclusive dialogue”. However, none of the other
ASEAN leaders turned up.
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Advancing a Peoples’ ASEAN
Statement of the ASEAN Peoples’ Forum-Fourth ASEAN Civil Society Conference
20 – 22 February 2009
Bangkok, Thailand
(FINAL VERSION)
We represent a group of more than 1,000 participants from the ASEAN region, and in solidarity with our friends and colleagues from all over the world, have come together at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, from 20th to 22nd of February 2009, for the ASEAN Peoples’ Forum (APF) - Fourth ASEAN Civil Society Conference (ACSC IV).
We represent various community-based organisations, civil society organisations, NGOs, social movements of women, children, peoples with disability, migrant workers, formal and informal workers, indigenous peoples, ethnic minority, peasants, small-scale fisher folks, stateless and vulnerable groups, and want to highlight the key concerns of people and communities in the region, which must be the focus of ASEAN work for it to be truly significant, meaningful and effective. We call on ASEAN and its member states to:
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APF: Press statement from the Women’s Caucus |
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(28 February 2009) (Interface with ASEAN Leaders)
We,
women civil society activists and human rights defenders from the ASEAN
region have come together as a Women’s Caucus to ensure that women’s
human rights issues and concerns are reflected, integrated and
implemented in all Southeast Asia countries, including within the ASEAN
structures and processes.
Given
the unique standing of ASEAN in this region we welcome the entry into
force of the ASEAN Charter as a move to initiate a legal framework to
ensure institutional accountability and compliance with international
norms and standards in the region. We urge the ASEAN member states to
ensure the promotion of democracy, fundamental freedom, rule of law and
good governance in line with the spirit and principles of the ASEAN
Charter.
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Stop the War Coalition-Philippines: Philippine Government Should Sever Ties with Israel |
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We at Stop the War Coalition Philippines, a broad coalition of civil society organizations, social movements, labor unions, political parties, human rights, women's, students, religious and other organizations, strongly condemn Israel's war crimes against the people of Gaza and the international community.
These latest attacks are not only disproportionate, they are completely unjustifiable.
At the root of the continuing tragedy in the Middle East is the continuing illegal occupation of Palestine by Israel. That Israel is able to continue this occupation and that it is able to bomb and kill indiscriminately without restraint points to the incapacity of the international community, including the United Nations and the world's governments, to uphold peace and justice. It is this unwillingness to act that will ensure that more blood and tears will flow from this escalating war.
We in the Philippines must help stop this war not only because thousands of Filipino migrant workers are caught in the crossfire but because we have a stake in creating a world with peace and justice.
We at the Stop the War Campaign demand that Israel should immediately end its war crimes in Gaza and end the occupation of Palestine.
We demand that the United States immediately stops arming and funding Israel's war.
We call on the international community, the United Nations and all responsible international government and civil society organizations, to stop Israel from continuing its attacks and to support a just resolution to the crisis.
We demand that the Philippine government begins the process of severing all diplomatic ties with Israel until it complies with international law and ends the occupation of Palestine. At the same time, we also call for immediate relief and evacuation plans for Filipino workers in the region. We demand more jobs for Filipinos at home so that they will not be forced to seek employment in outlaw states.
As our elected representatives, our government should take a stand in favor of international law and justice, summon the Israeli ambassador to protest, and expressly condemn Israel for its actions.
We demand that Manila and other government units revoke their "sister city" ties with Israeli cities.
We call on our parliamentarians and diplomats to likewise denounce Israel's actions.
In solidarity with the Palestinian, as well as Israeli people opposed to war, we call on trade unions, universities, cultural organizations, political parties, and other social movements and civil society groups to be part of a global boycott and sanctions campaign against Israel. (5 January 2009)
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