Statement presented by Professor Surichai Wun’gaeo
Thank you, Dr. Surin, Secretary General of ASEAN.
Y.E. Khun Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand and the ASEAN Chair,
Your Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’tzzaddin Waddaulah of Brunei Darussellam
Y.E. Somdech Hun Sen, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia
Y.E. Mr. Bouasome Bouphavanh, the Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Y.E. Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the President of the Republic of Indonesia
Dato’ Sri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the Prime Minister of Malaysia
Y.E. General Thein Sein, the Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar
Y.E Mrs. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the President of the Republic of the Philippines
Y.E. Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore
Y.E. Mr. Nguyen Minh Triet, the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
My name is Surichai Wun’gaeo, and I am Chair Professor of the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Director of the Center for Peace and Development Studies at Chulalongkorn University. Under the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and its ASEAN Department, I have been entrusted with the task of convening and coordinating the 2nd ASEAN Peoples’ Forum and 5th ASEAN Civil Society Conference in Chaam, Thailand.
On behalf of the over 500 civil society participants at the 2nd ASEAN Peoples’ Forum I would like to extend sincere gratitude to Your Excellencies for your time and willingness to engage with and listen to the peoples of ASEAN.
Excellencies, please allow me to introduce to you the civil society representatives of the ASEAN People’s Forum:
* Mrs. Manichanh Philaphanh from the Lao’s People Democratic Republic
* Mr. Sinapan Samydorai from the Republic of Singapore
* Sister Crescencia L. Lucero from the Republic of the Philippines
* Mr. Nay Vanda from the Kingdom of Cambodia
* Ms. Yuyun Wahyuningrum from the Republic of Indonesia
* Mr. Moon Hui Tah from Malaysia
* Ms. Tran Thi Thu Thuy from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
* Ms. Sawart Pramoonsilp from the Kingdom of Thailand
* Dato Paduka Hj Zainal Bin Hj Momin from the Kingdom of Brunei Darussalam
* Ms Khin Ohmar from the Union of Myanmar
Excellencies,
Due to unexpected events, the last leaders’ summit scheduled for April this year failed to materialize. We, civil society, therefore, greatly appreciate that the leaders of ASEAN countries expressed solidarity with the host country and have taken the trouble to come to Thailand.
We hope our meeting today will allow us to understand each other more and that building this mutual understanding will facilitate a constructive and spirited partnership between ASEAN leadership and governments, business, and civil society.
Excellencies,
In recent times, the peoples of ASEAN have met increasingly frequent challenges caused by the climate crisis. Only four weeks ago, a typhoon struck the Philippines and then Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. And, in May last year, cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar. Both caused tragic loss of life and widespread damage. The human cost has been almost unimaginably severe, especially for those most vulnerable. Yet, we can be proud that across ASEAN the governments and people joined together in solidarity to share the suffering of those directly affected.
These events, however, magnify the growing uncertainties for our region as extreme weather becomes more common-place. ASEAN’s proactive leadership in seeking an equitable solution to climate change that relieves the burden on ASEAN’s developing countries and reforms ASEAN’s economies to be climate-friendly is much hoped for by civil society.
We face too a global economic crisis, which, as with climate change, embodies inconvenient truths that none-the-less we must accept and resolve. Unregulated financial markets have wrought havoc on many millions of people throughout ASEAN and require reform.
Of course, without economy there is no development. Yet, when society is unable to steer the economy it can no longer be said to meet our needs. And, when the economy grows beyond the environment’s carrying capacity, then development itself becomes unsustainable and our shared future is undermined.
The world is changing. It is no longer a world of blocs, but of multi-level and multi-polar relationships within which new partnerships continue to emerge. The G20, for example, has succeeded the G8 as the main economic council of wealthy nations and has welcomed Indonesia and the ASEAN chair.
ASEAN’s friendship with its neighbors also continues to grow, with ASEAN welcoming leaders from China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and India to Cha am as key dialogue partners. Our small We has now become a bigger We. As ASEAN citizens, we gain an expanded sense of identity and growing expectation that also demands a new sense of responsibility.
There are many encouraging such signs that democratization is growing at the global and regional scale and that ASEAN will take a central role.
Excellencies,
Times of crisis also present opportunity for change. An important part of a people-centered solution is fairer, not faster globalization. A new financial architecture is urgently required committed to the principles of human solidarity, social justice and environmental sustainability.
To meet these challenges requires clear, responsible and responsive leadership, and close partnership. We, civil society, commit ourselves to this partnership. We hold high hopes for an equitable and democratic ASEAN community. By building a strong sense of community we hope that a people-centered ASEAN with people-centered institutions will flourish.
Excellencies,
As ASEAN government’s partnership has grown closer, so too have closer friendships emerged amongst civil society throughout ASEAN. On June 18 to 20, over 500 representatives of civil society met in Cha Am, Thailand for the 2nd ASEAN people’s forum and 5th ASEAN Civil Society Conference.
We were disappointed, therefore, by the absence of government officials invited to the ASEAN People’s Forum meeting. Regular meetings between civil society and ASEAN government representatives at all levels is the cornerstone of a truly people-centered ASEAN community, an aspiration that we all share. As one friend from our persons with disabilities forum said, “Nothing About Us Without Us.” This reflects our whole group’s sentiment.
Excellencies,
We heard at the ASEAN Peoples Forum how through volunteer exchange programs, ASEAN’s youth are already working towards a vision of a closer ASEAN. These multi-level exchanges continue to build solidarity. Learning from these young future leaders, I would like to respectfully suggest that such programs expand to volunteering partnerships between governments and civil society across our borders too.
Excellencies,
A sense of urgency pervades the statement that our civil society friends will present to you today. Building a truly people-centered ASEAN cannot wait. The launch of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights today is a commendable step forward. Social integration, further to economic integration, holds the key to a caring, sharing ASEAN community.
Excellencies,
Please allow me to summarize for you the key issues raised during the Forum’s discussions.
* We reaffirm the fundamental principles of democracy, human rights and dignity, good governance, the best interests of the child, meaningful and substantive peoples’ participation, and sustainable development in the pursuit of economic, social, gender and ecological justice so as to bring peace and prosperity to the ASEAN region.
* We are deeply disappointed by the absence of our government officials in this meeting. This is a step backward on ASEAN’s commitment to promote a people-oriented ASEAN. It runs contrary to the principles in the ASEAN Charter that encourages people’s participation. We call on ASEAN to recognise the role of civil society and institutionalize people’s participation and engagement in all the ASEAN processes and pillars.
* Human conditions and issues confronting the peoples cut across all current pillars of the ASEAN. ASEAN governments must adopt a more holistic approach with regards to development, equal and just treatment of the peoples, and harmonize its policies and practices of all its pillars. Particularly, human rights violations experienced by women and girl-children are often compounded by the intersection of different and multiple layers of discrimination resulting from the intersection of gender with other systems of power, such as race, class/caste, rural location, ethnicity, immigrant status, sexual orientation and gender identities, citizenship, religion and other factors. Furthermore, the principle of free, prior and informed consent of for all peoples, especially indigenous peoples must be pursued in the fulfilment of all political, economic and social agreements under the ASEAN.
* We urge ASEAN governments to respond to the impacts of the global financial crisis in a sustainable way by investing in a strong social economic infrastructure, specifically in the sectors of education, public healthcare, childcare, social insurance and rural areas. This infrastructure should create sustainable growth and long-term employment. We urge the ASEAN to take immediate steps to extend social protection to women workers.
* While respecting the building of a caring and sharing society in ASEAN, we call on ASEAN to adopt the people-centered which is transformative social agenda that includes the principles of equity, substantive equality, inclusion, solidarity and sustainability.
* We applaud the establishment of the AICHR and the open selection process of commissioners by Indonesia and Thailand. AICHR should use its mandate to develop strategies for the promotion and protection of human rights and establish strong mechanisms to protect human rights, including country visits, complaint handling of human rights violations, periodic reviews of the human rights situation in ASEAN member states, and a recourse mechanism against violations.
* In response to the urgent, multi-fold environmental crisis and climate change, ASEAN must instigate a process to launch a fourth pillar on Environment in its structure and governance that will place environmental sustainability, economic, gender, social and climate justice at the center of decision-making
* We, the people of ASEAN, will continue to mobilize the participation of more grassroots and marginalized communities (such as women, children, indigenous and migrants), peoples’ organizations and civil society organizations to work together in using this platform for interaction and dialogue among the peoples’ of ASEAN.
* We, in solidarity with the voice of the people of Myanmar/ Burma, call upon the government of Myanmar to take concrete steps towards national reconciliation to ensure that the 2010 elections are truly free and fair and the country can move towards genuine democracy.
* We commit to continue our unique brand of people-to-people solidarity and dialogue in ensuring a peoples-oriented ASEAN is realised. We will continue to engage with ASEAN governments in 2010 in Vietnam during the 16th ASEAN Summit to monitor and follow up on the peoples’ demands to ASEAN. We call on the Vietnamese government as the next chair of ASEAN and the next host of ASEAN Summit, to support us to maintain and further strengthen the dialogue and broad engagement of civil society with ASEAN.
