Achara Ashayagachat
JAKARTA - Civil society groups say Asean governments have again thrown cold water on any attempt at engagement and taken control of nominations and agenda-setting for Saturday's Interface meeting between leaders of the two sides.
Thai NGO Coordinating Committee secretary-general Suntaree Saeng-ging said on Wednesday the Thai government, and many other governents, had independently appointed representatives and it was not clear who would attend.
Thai civil society participants at the Jakarta 2011 Asean Civil Society Conference (ACSC) and the Asean People’s Forum (APF) had chosen Sureeporn Yupa, of Disabled Peoples' International Asia Pacific (DPI/AP), to represent Thailand during the May 7 Interface dialogue with the government leaders.
Ms Suntaree said should there be any problem with any individual NGO-selected delegates, Asean civil society would compromise by not sending those persons into the meeting room and the rest of the team would go ahead with the talks.
"But if the Asean governments still insist on sending their own nominated representatives to replace our chosen representatives we will boycott the Interface meeting," said Ms Suntaree.
This problem occurred during Thailand's chairmanship (2008-2009) when Cambodia and Burma strongly opposed the NGO-nominated list. As a result not all 10 NGO representatives showed up at the 15-minute formal encounter between the Asean leaders and the NGOs.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, however, met briefly with the unwanted delegates after the formal meeting.
Last year, when Vietnam was in the chair, there was no such "Interface" meeting and the parallel process under the banner of the Asean Civil Society Conference (ACSC) and the Asean People’s Forum (APF) failed the majority of the activists.
With higher expectations for the meeting under the chair of the normally open Indonesia, civil society groups were expecting at it to at least be on par with the Thai process, but this had not happened.
Jakarta had sent out a note to all Asean members on April 28 asking them to provide a list of the delegates by May 1. However, the ACSC/APF had planned to come up with their own nominations at the Jakarta meeting today.
The Foreign Ministry has also asked the Ministry of Social and Human Development to nominate a person.
Decha Chaithap, a Chiang Mai-based community development network organisation, was nominated by the ministry although he was not present at the NGO meeting in Jakarta. He therefore faces a strong protest by the strong hundred-member Thai civil society group here.
"Of course, compared to other countries' lists the Thai government appointed person has stronger credentials ... however, this is about the process not the result or the person," one Thai participant here said.
Efforts to delist the nominee were facing difficulties as Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had already been given Mr Decha’s name.
The Burmese government has proposed Sit Aye, a senior anti-drugs official, to represent Burmese civil society while the independent Burmese NGOs had proposed Chiang Mai-based Aung Myo Min, from the Human Rights Education Institute of Burma.
As next year's chairman of Asean, Phnom Penh has also pushed its own man, Moly Van, to represent the NGO face while independent NGOs have proposed Thun Saray, chairman of the Cambodia Human Rights and Development Association.
Jakarta was today busy sorting out a face-saving solution for the Saturday summit.
Debbie Stothard, coordinator of the Alternative Asean Network for Burma (ALTSEAN), said it was farcical that the NGO-driven process had been hijacked by the governments and that a democratic host like Indonesia had to compromise with the more authoritarian voices in the regional grouping preaching about people-centered community-building.
Apart from Thailand and Cambodia, Brunei, Burma and the Philippine governments have also prepared lists of their own people for the Interface dialogue. However, Brunei had nominated a person also participated in the ACSC/APF meeting.
A number of workshops are being held today and tomorrow, discussing a wide range of issues including Burmese democracy, civil liberties, the role of th Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, energy and nuclear issues, gender equality and people with disabilities.
Chhaya Hang, director of the Khmer Institute of Democracy, has said the plenary meeting touched upon so many overwhelming issues. He felt the Asean NGOs should prioritise their issues for discussions or communications with the governments.
"I think we should formalise or legitimise the role of the NGOs in Asean's respective countries first.
"Several countries including Cambodia have yet to fully recognise, if not legalise, NGOs although we’ve done a lot for the betterment of the people in various areas," said Mr Chhaya.
Sodsai Srangsok, from Ubon Ratchathani Nuclear Watch, proposed that Asean should start engaging the people in their formulation of development and energy development policy programmes.
At the opening session, Indonesian vice president Boedinono declared that governments need civil society groups as a connective “tongue of the people”, to ensure a solid integration of Asean political, economic and social culture.
However, Mr Boedinono was reportedly uneasy when the NGOs presented footage of Aung San Suu Kyi's message for democratisation in Burma.
5 comments:
Var Kim Hong does recognize that Cambodia, if compared to the colonial Service Geographique de l’Indochine scale map 1/100,000 and the 1985 delimitation treaty, will loses 9,000 hectares; and compared to U.S Army Mapping Service scale map 1/50,000 with the 1985 Treaty, would lose about 7,900 hectares to Vietnam. This statement was confirmed by Var Kim Hong to Mr. Touch Bora Esq through a telephone conversation on 30 August 2002 at 4:30 p.m. (Sydney time), which Mr. Touch Bora Esq wrote in his letter dated on 9 September 2002 sent to Sam Dach Ta Noroudom Sihanouk concerning over border affairs.
In fact, the loss is absolutely more than the 1000 square kilometers stated by MP Sam Rainsy in his statement, if we add the size of the historical water of 30000 square kilometers awarded to Vietnam under the 1982 Agreement which has been into affect and now already become under the full control of Vietnam. And this would not be the last if the equidistance principle be used to delimit the maritime boundary, Cambodia will lose an additional area of sea and seabed measuring at least 860 square nautical miles from the Brevie Line to the north, analyzed by Mr. Touch Bora Esq or another 10000 square kilometers confirmed by Mr. Sean Pengse, the President of the Cambodian Border Committee Worldwide, which exclusively include another Koh Poula Wai to Vietnam added to the previous lost islands- Koh Tral (Dao Phu Quoc) and Koh Poulo Panjang (Dao Thu Chu).
This is why sVar Kim Hong said in front of Students´s Movement for Democracy (SMD), and Sam Dach Ta Norodom Sihanouk on 22 Janaury 2000 during our audience with him concerning the border resolution with Vietnam that; “If we want peace, we must sacrifice our flesh to the tiger.” The truth is discovered now that, “Sacrifice the flesh to tiger actually means cutting our land to the Viet.” This word was clearly spoken out from his mouth and there were Sam Dach Ta as witness and 31 members.
We must condemn this Var Kim Hong for his role in helping the traitorous regime of Hun Sen.
Smart Khmer Girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
Koh Tral Island must not be forgotten
By Ms. Rattana Keo
Why do Koh Tral Island, known in Vietnam as Phu Quoc, a sea and land area covering proximately over 10,000 km2 [Note: the actual land size of Koh Tral itself is 574 square kilometres (222 sq miles)] have been lost to Vietnam by whose treaty? Why don’t Cambodia government be transparent and explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 on the Thai border and what's about over 10,000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Koh Tral Island, the sea and land area of over 10,000 square kilometres have been lost to Vietnam by the 1979 to 1985 treaties. The Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protecting a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group but disguising as protecting the Khmer nation?
The Cambodian army at front lines suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition and their families have no health care assistance, no securities after they died but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning system with message from young girls, have first class medical care from oversea medical treatments, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make the Cambodian people suffer everyday.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 10,000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why they are not being transparent and brave enough to inform all Cambodians and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't they include Koh Tral (Koh Tral size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapore [Note: Singapore's present land size is 704 km2 (271.8 sq mi)]) with heap of great natural resources, in the Cambodian education system?
Look at Hun Sen's families, relatives and friends- they are billionaires, millionaires. Where did they get the money from when we all just got out of war with empty hands [in 1979]? Hun Sen always say in his speeches that Cambodia had just risen up from the ashes of war, just got up from Year Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% of innocent Cambodian people are so poor and struggling with their livelihood every day?
Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
CPP who sell out Cambodia and all Cambodian people to Vietnam. That is why they hate Ms. Rattana Keo words, that just only say the true of what happen to Cambodia.
Vietnam are not even tried to take Cambodia slowly and slowly. why do we, all khmer people, are tired to talk about their evil action toward Cambodian people and Khmer nation.
4:27 PM
Tired not Tried ( Wrong spelling )
Mr. Sam Rainsy and KI media must provide all Cambodian people about the documents and detail to prove that over 30 000Km2 lost to Vietnam by Treaties from 1979 to 1985.
Please Mr Sam Rainsy provides all the detail that Hun Sen with CPP Treaties from 1979 to 1985 result in lost over 30 000Km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam.
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