First of all, we send our greetings for the start of Ramadan, in the
hopes that this year it will truly be a month of peace for the whole
region.
Second, WFDA recently completed a Solidarity Mission to one area where
a lasting and just peace is urgently desired: Mindanao in the southern
Philippines. After an intensive round of visits and consultation, the
mission released its preliminary findings. Please find the full
statement attached (Document #1).
Third, earlier in August, WFDA co-sponsored the 2008 International
Conference on Global Support for Democratization in China and Asia
(GSDCA). For information about conference events, please view the
attached GSDCA Declaration (Document #2), visit
http://www.supportdca.net, and read Taiwan Foundation for Democracy
Fellow James Gomez's Asia Times Online op-ed, "New strategies for
'democratizing' China."
Please find updates on regional democracy developments for the month
of August below.
In solidarity,
WFDA Secretariat
+ + + + + + + + + + + +
-
Cambodia:
- The Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), which contested the outcome of
the 27 July elections, issued an 18 August statement regarding Sam
Rainsy's summons to the Constitutional Council on 19 August. Please
view the statement as well a brief outline of SRP election complaints
below (Document #3).
-
China:
- 8 August marked the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic
Games in Beijing. In violation of its pledge to improve human rights
conditions for the Olympics, the Chinese government has continued to
crackdown on journalistic freedom. For more information, please read
the 19 August article released by Reporters Without Borders, in
addition to the 14 August statement issued by Olympic Watch, as well
as Spanish newspaper El Mundo's special interview with Chinese
dissident Wei Jingsheng (Document #4).
In light of the Olympics, China has also come under increasing
pressure to stop providing support to Burma's repressive military
regime. For more on this story, please see the joint statement issued
by activist groups on 8 August: "China must Act on Burma as Olympics
Kick Off."
-
Indonesia:
- The Indonesian Constitutional Court upheld the
constitutionality of criminal defamation in a 15 August decision.
According to the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), this
constitutes a "serious blow" to the country's press freedom.
-
Malaysia:
- Congratulations to Dr. Anwar Ibrahim, 2007 WFDA Biennial
keynote speaker, returned to parliament after a resounding victory in
a by-election on 26 August, and promptly took the mantle of official
leader of the opposition! Emotions ran high in the election campaign,
which featured harsh negative campaigning. The Centre for Independent
Journalism (CIJ) reports that supporters of the People's Justice Party
attacked two news photographers on 16 August. To read more, please
visit the SEAPA website. As for the election process in general, Asian
Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) made a number of recommendations
for further improvement in its statement.
-
Philippines:
- The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) released a
report praising Philippines security forces for the calm lead-up to
the ARMM elections. The report, "ARMM Elections: Improved process but
serious concerns remain," also criticizes irregularities and anomalies
concerning polling stations and political party adherence to electoral
regulations.
-
Singapore:
- On 19 August, SEAPA reported that the Prime Minister of
Singapore is considering easing nationwide restrictions on freedoms of
speech and assembly. For details, please view the article on the
SEAPA website.
-
Tibet:
- The Tibetan Youth Congress released a 16 August statement about
the Indefinite Fast for Tibet "Without Food & Water." To read more
about the activities of the Tibetan People's Mass Movement, please
visit the Tibetan Youth Congress website.
-
Vietnam:
- The International Buddhist Information Bureau issued a 17
August statement regarding the appointment of the Most Venerable Thich
Quang Do as the new Head of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam.
Please see the press release on the website of Que Me: Action for
Democracy in Vietnam.
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Document #1
STATEMENT of the INTERNATIONAL MISSION TO MINDANAO
August 24 - 28, 2008
Never give up on peace!
The Mindanao conflict has reached another crossroads in its long
history. After years of difficult negotiations, the Government of the
Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF) reached a Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain
(MOA-AD), which was intended to be a major breakthrough in the peace
process. However, the document raised both serious concerns as well as
high expectations among various communities in Mindanao and Sulu, as
well as the nation at large. The abortive signing, following the
temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court, then
triggered local conflicts in two areas of Central Mindanao, raising
tensions across the region.
In response, the World Forum for Democratizatation in Asia (WFDA) and
the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC)
sent a Solidarity Mission to Mindanao from August 24-28. Consisting of
11 international and 8 Filipino members, the mission visited a wide
variety of stakeholders in two regions. One team visited Central
Mindanao, and the second Western Mindanao and Sulu.
As civil society organizations, we approached this mission based on
two fundamental principles. First, we affirm all human rights for all
peoples in Mindanao, notably the right to self-determination of the
Bangsamoro people as well as that of the indigenous peoples. Second,
we reject all forms of violence, and insist on non-violent and
democratic solutions to political conflict, as in the words of Nobel
Peace Laureate and Burmese democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi: "It
is no longer acceptable to resolve political disputes through the use
of force."
The following are our initial findings and recommendations:
-
The spectre of war hangs over Mindanao once again. Active
hostilities have reignited in two areas in the heartland of the
conflict, while most of the island, as well as the Sulu Archipelago,
are still in a state of relative calm (despite ongoing military
operations in Sulu, which sadly have become a part of life for the
people there). However, tensions are rising, and the potential for
expansion of the conflict is significant. Therefore, we call for
urgent measures to contain the conflict, to prevent its spread or its
transformation into a communal conflict. Among these, we may cite:
The extension of the International Monitoring Team (IMT), which has
performed well up to the present crisis, and which even now is
maintaining the ceasefire in most of its coverage area. Both the GRP
and MILF should move immediately to invite the IMT to continue its
work, rather than pulling out on August 31. Moreover, the IMT should
if anything be strengthened in mandate and resources. For example, the
IMT could play a key role in supervising an investigation into the
recent outbreak of fighting in Central Mindanao.
Likewise, the Joint Coordination Committee for the Cessation of
Hostilities (JCCCH) should be also be maintained and strengthened. It
is notable that the ceasefire continues to hold between the Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and 14 of 17 MILF base commands, and
the JCCCH is maintaining useful channels of communication between the
two sides.
-
All combatants must adhere strictly to international
humanitarian law (IHL). Both the MILF and AFP must implement effective
enforcement measures, in order to ensure that impunity will not be
allowed for any of their officers who violate IHL.
-
We view with extreme concern the arming of civilians, which is
under way in at least some areas. Untrained and poorly organized
civilians cannot meaningfully contribute to genuine security, but will
only raise the risks of escalation of conflict. The duty to protect
the populace lies with state institutions such as the AFP and the
Philippines National Police (PNP). Therefore, we call on the national
government and local governments to cease as well as to publicly
discourage any such arming. In this regard, we welcome the assurance
of North Cotabato Vice Governor Emmanuel Pinol on August 27,
reiterated publicly the same day, that he will not condone or allow
any attacks by Christian vigilantes (ilaga) against Muslim civilians.
At the same time, overt calls to "defend yourselves" muddle this
otherwise positive message.
-
The debate over the MOA-AD has revealed the unacceptable and
dangerous levels of prejudice and discrimination against the Moro
people and the religion of Islam. This demonstrates the need for
sensitive, nuanced, and culturally aware communication to deepen
mutual understanding and also to recognize legitimate needs and
rights.
-
Public figures, notably political leaders, must be much more
restrained in their language, especially the use of inflammatory
comments like "all-out war." Likewise, we call on all media, both
national and international, to practice responsible journalism. We
encourage media to accept their social responsibility as a crucial
part of whole nation and important player in the democratization
process. In a conflict situation, careless or sensational reporting
can be a matter of life and death – editorial decisions cannot be made
based on purely commercial considerations. We note with concern
credible reports that images from previous periods of conflict have
sometimes been used in coverage of the recent events.
-
With regard to the MOA, there is clearly an urgent need for
much more intensive consultations among all the affected communities.
These consultations should not only explain the content of the MOA,
but also its historical context, and its implications for ordinary
people's lives.
-
Finally, we are encouraged by the many civil society
initiatives that are aimed at strengthening trust and understanding
between all communities. Many of the civil society organizations that
we visited are making heroic efforts to respond to the current crisis.
We may specifically cite the initiative led by the Consortium of
Bangsamoro Civil Society to translate and popularize the MOA at the
grassroots, the "Ginapaladtaka" group of barangays working to maintain
communal harmony, and the leading role played by women in Sulu in
promoting peace education and indigenous solutions to conflict
resolution.
In conclusion, we reaffirm our solidarity with the all the peoples of
Mindanao and Sulu, Christian Muslim, and Lumad. In particular, we are
inspired by courage of the victims of the conflict, the women,
children, and powerless members of society who, in the face of so many
difficulties, have not given up the hope for peace. In their honor, we
will continue to work together with our dedicated partners in the
Philippines and around the region for genuine and sustainable peace,
democracy, and human rights.
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Document #2
Declaration
of the
3rd International Conference on Global Support for Democratization in
China and Asia
For the past three years, the International Conference on Global
Support for Democratization in China and Asia (GSDCA) has served as a
platform for consolidating international forces supporting the
universal values of freedom, human rights, and democracy throughout
Asia. Now, more than ever, we feel the urgency of upholding these
values in light of restrictive measures imposed by the Chinese
government in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, as well as
China's rising influence on political development and global security.
The 2008 International Conference on GSDCA, held in Tokyo, Japan,
brought together a diverse group of international leaders, including
dissidents from Asian countries with autocratic regimes, as well as
dignitaries, experts, NGO representatives, and scholars from North
America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. The Tokyo conference built on the
successes of previous conferences in order to move toward the ultimate
goal of securing a peaceful transition from autocracy to democracy in
China and other Asian nations.
In the course of the 2008 International Conference on GSDCA,
participants formulated the following recommendations, which urge the
Chinese government to:
-
UPHOLD fundamental human rights and journalistic freedoms in the
context of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The Chinese government promised that the media would be able to
operate under the same conditions as at previous Olympics, which for
the past two decades have been free of censorship of the domestic and
international press. However, there is substantial evidence that
China has failed to lift media restrictions in advance of the Beijing
Olympics and continues to block and threaten foreign journalists.
Reports also suggest that the Chinese government has prohibited local
media from publishing news that reflects negatively on the Beijing
regime before or during the Olympic Games. Repressive measures harm
not only the interests of the Chinese people, but also the
international community. We cannot, and must not, tolerate the
Chinese government's blatant violations of human rights and press
freedom during this time of global interaction, collaboration, and
competition.
-
WITHDRAW repressive Chinese government forces from Tibet in order
to allow for genuine Tibetan self-government.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army occupied Tibet in 1949, resulting
in the suppression of traditional Tibetan practices and the
persecution of thousands of people. Since then, Tibet has endured
decades of violent repression and human rights violations, while the
Tibetan government-in-exile, under the leadership of His Holiness the
Dalai Lama, has consistently advocated the nonviolent pursuit of the
welfare and culture of the Tibetan people. The Chinese government must
open a genuine dialogue with the Tibetan government-in-exile, in order
to reach a peaceful and sustainable agreement bringing meaningful
autonomy and human rights to Tibet, and to provide greater stability
within the Asia Pacific region.
-
RATIFY outstanding United Nations Human Rights Conventions,
including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Human rights violations in China remain systematic and widespread, as
seen in the Chinese government's poor treatment of rural and migrant
workers, as well as discrimination against groups such as Tibetans and
Uyghurs. The Chinese government also places unjust restrictions on
civil liberties, limiting the freedoms of speech, movement, political
belief, and religion. To ensure the welfare of the Chinese people, we
must encourage China to ratify and implement all core international
human rights treaties of the United Nations.
-
RELEASE all political prisoners and remedy human rights violations.
In 2007, the Dui Hua Foundation reported that the number of Chinese
political prisoners had risen to its highest level in eight years.
Arrests of hundreds of Chinese citizens for political reasons over the
past decade are indicative of the Chinese government's crackdown on
political dissent. Rather than an occasion for improving human rights
in China, the Olympic Games have brought a new wave of arrests and
prosecutions. Steps must be taken to restore justice and due process
to the Chinese legal system, protect fundamental human rights, and
preserve political freedom. The Chinese government must arrange for
the immediate release of all political prisoners and cease the
imprisonment of political critics and dissidents.
-
CEASE military support for autocratic regimes in Asia and beyond.
The Chinese government continues to provide military aid to repressive
regimes such as Burma, North Korea, and Sudan. Diplomatically, it has
used its position on the United Nations Security Council to obstruct
international efforts to stop the genocide in Darfur and to improve
human rights in Burma. Furthermore, it has systematically engaged in
forced repatriation of refugees from North Korea, in violation of its
obligations under international law. If China wishes to be accepted
as a leading member of the international community, it must
immediately terminate its provision of material and diplomatic support
to these regimes and instead begin to join efforts to promote peace,
stability, and human security.
-
STOP intimidating and threatening international media providers.
In recent years, the Chinese government has used intimidation tactics
and threats to prevent media companies such as Eutelsat and Yahoo from
broadcasting foreign news into China. The international community
must take immediate action to prevent media providers from complicity
in pro-Beijing censorship. Global pressure must be placed on China to
cease its repressive policies toward the media and allow the Chinese
people open access to the news and Internet.
Furthermore, foreign governments and multinational corporations must
take more active steps to support those who fight for democracy and
human rights both within China and without.
Ultimately, we believe that these recommendations are crucial to
achieving significant democratic progress in China and Asia, for the
benefit of all Asian peoples, not least the people of China itself.
It is our sincere hope that through ongoing dialogue and debate, our
work with the GSDCA will bolster the courageous and determined efforts
of those who devote themselves wholeheartedly to the promotion of
democracy and human rights around the world.
Top
Document #3
August 18, 2008
SAM RAINSY GOES TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL ON AUGUST 19
The SRP is summoned by the Constitutional Council on Tuesday, August
19, 2008 in relation with its main election complaints that have been
recently rejected by the National Election Committee.
Accompanied by his party's lawyers, SRP President Sam Rainsy will go
in person to bring new and irrefutable evidence of election fraud to
the Constitutional Council tomorrow at 03.00 pm.
The evidence and all related documents will also be provided to, and
shared with, journalists, observers and all interested persons.
August 16, 2008
ELECTION COMPLAINTS TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL
The Sam Rainsy Party yesterday evening lodged its final complaints to
the Constitutional Council, with additional and irrefutable evidence
of election fraud: forged 1018 voter registration forms; petitions
signed by over 10,000 citizens/legitimate voters complaining that they
were prevented from voting on July 27, 2008; calculations showing that
even a small-scale irregularity may affect election results in terms
of seat allocation at the provincial/municipal level.
See original texts in Khmer at http://tinyurl.com/6gtu8t
Sensitivity analyses in English at http://tinyurl.com/69knee
SRP Cabinet
For more information please call 092 888 001 or 092 888 002
Top
Document #4
On August 13, 2008, El Mundo, the leading newspaper in Spain,
published a special interview with Wei Jingsheng. The following is
the best possible compromised English version by this editor. For the
most correct meaning, please read the Spanish version first. The
Chinese version is a combination of the original Chinese answers and
the published version. -- Ciping Huang
WEI JINGSHENG / Chinese dissident-in-exile:
"The Olympic Games is Already a Failure for China"
by RICARD GONZÁLEZ
Special for EL MUNDO
WASHINGTON. – Wei Jingsheng is one of the most important Chinese
democratic activists in exile. Born in 1950 in Beijing, he spent 18
years in prison for publishing an article. Thanks to pressure from
the international community, especially from the Clinton
Administration, he was deported to the USA in 1997, where he has
resided since.
Question: You were received by Bush in the White House a little
earlier before his trip to Peking. What did you say to him?
Answer: I said that I was very disappointed because he helped the
opening of the Olympic Games. Bush and the rest of the Western
governments have sent a wrong message to the authorities in China,
resulting in increased repression in the last a few months.
Q: how did Bush react?
A: He said to me that he already knew that I was very critical with
his position. It was polite and cordial. Bush is not a bad person,
but I am not sure that he is a very intelligent man.
Q: Nevertheless, when he was in Asia, he had forcefully stated a few
criticisms of the violations of human rights …
A: True, and that helps to correct his error. The West has to change
its politics towards China. Real change will not come by means of
increasing the business relations. This is an argument that only
serves multinational business, not to the Chinese people. Many Chinese
are beginning to believe that the West does not really care about
democracy, but only about business.
Q: Do you think that the Olympian Games will be a success for the
Chinese regime?
A: No, already it cannot be. The fact of that they have to mobilize
hundreds of thousands of police officers and military personnel to
avoid protests demonstrates that they have failed the relationship
between the people and the regime.
Q : But the regime seems stable enough …
A: That is a false appearance. In its foundation, it is fragile, full
of cracks. The distancing between the ordinary citizen and the
privileged elite that governs the country is enormous. Also there are
disagreements inside of the party. The majority of the population has
not benefited from the economic growth, and there is a great poverty.
In any moment a spark might exploded into a new revolution.
Q: In the recent weeks, there have been some attempts. Do you condemn them?
A: No. Suppressed people have the right to rebel. Even the American
Constitution grants the right to rebel against an illegitimate
government. This limits a government cannot go beyond is that it
should not deliberately harm the general population.
Q: what is your opinion on Tibet?
A: It is necessary to find a solution for the political state of Tibet
through negotiation that satisfies the desires of the Tibetans. For
me, Tibet as a nation, has its right to self-determination.
Q: Did you watch the opening ceremony of the Olympian Games live?
A: Not, I am too busy and I was not that interested.
Image of the El Mundo' article
ENDS