Confronting the Challenges to Democracy in the 21st Century
Second World Assembly
November 12-15, 2000
São Paulo, Brazil
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Fernando Henrique Cardoso
President of Brazil
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Regional Workshops - Asia
Organizer:
Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia (ARDA)
Rapporteur:
Debbie Stothard (Malaysia, Thailand-based)
Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma
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Moderators:
Sam Rainsy (Cambodia)
Member of Parliament
Chee Soon Juan (Singapore)
Open Singapore Centre
Presenter:
Nurul Izzah Anwar (Malaysia)
Institute for Policy Research
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Nearly 60 people attended this workshop and about half of them spoke from the floor. The participants came from Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tibet, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam.
Observations:
When the financial crisis hit Asia in 1997, many countries had been enjoying unprecedented economic growth; there was enough wealth to support corrupt institutions and keep the middle class happy. Like the ocean tide going out and exposing all the rubbish on the beach, when the financial crisis hit the tide of money was pulled back to reveal a weak and unjust system supported by corrupt and oppressive practices.
While the human impacts of the crisis were (and continue to be) disastrous, the upheaval provided opportunities for democrats to campaign for reform. Some of the closed economic systems were less affected by the crisis, although it exposed some of the fundamental weaknesses within them. Some pro-reform leaders have triumphed (for example, in Indonesia and Taiwan), while others have been persecuted (for example, Anwar Ibrahim in Malaysia and Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma). Regardless of the situation of these and other democrats, the region remains in a critical situation of flux and/or transition.
Three elements contributed to the lack of regional efforts to advance reform processes:
- the assertion of "Asian Values," with the implication that Asians are less deserving or less desirous of protection of their human rights.
- the policy of "non-interference" that allows unjust situations to deteriorate and spread.
- the tendency to be governed by the rule by law instead of by the rule of law.
Recommendations:
- Establish an Asian center for democracy resources.
The Asia-Pacific Affairs Forum (Taiwan) and the Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia (ARDA) agreed to work together on the creation of such a resource center.
- Share conflict resolution strategies within the region.
- Establish networks, such as the Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia, that help democrats in the region to organize themselves.
The Secretariat of the World Movement has assisted in the re-design of the ARDA Web site, and has provided links on the World Movement Web site to a variety of networks in Asia, organizations participating in the World Movement in the region, as well as information on potential funding sources and research.
- Launch programs to encourage young democrats and true democrats (those who maintain support for their democratic colleagues after they gain power).
- Create an Asian forum to engage and educate the business community about democratic values.
- Engage in confidence building to encourage leaders to allow reforms.
- Provide technical assistance for governments to implement or comply with international human rights treaties.
- Coordinate preparation to allow democrats' input at key UN and other international meetings on democracy and related issues.
- Create educational programs in all sectors to broaden understanding of democracy and human rights within the context of people's daily lives and work (that is, within school systems, the civil service, law enforcement, and the judiciary).
- Pressure governments and international organizations to promote democratic values, human rights, and people-to-people relationships through their international aid programs.
- Help protect refugee and exiled democrats; employ an "urgent response" mechanism for democrats who are persecuted; and use delegations and fact-finding teams to monitor and report on situations where democrats are under threat.
- Give priority to the work of communities at the grass-roots level (for example, women, the disabled, and indigenous groups) who tend to use resources very effectively and whose work can be used as examples of best practices.
- Work to abolish national security laws.
- "Adopt" one country at a time to focus efforts of all democrats. (Interestingly, a Cambodian MP proposed Burma, while a Burmese participant proposed China).
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