ASEAN: Be For the People, Work With the People
" Statement of the ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN People's Forum 2017", 10 November 2017
We are people’s organizations, social movements and NGOs of youth, children, women, workers, older people, indigenous groups, persons with disabilities, LGBTIQ and other sectors, including academics from the ten (10) ASEAN countries plus East Timor...
We see the ASEAN as a strategic platform to engage member states and their mechanisms to advance peoples’ interests and address issues concerning development, trade, environment, migration, peace, security and human rights.
...ASEAN has provided limited spaces for peoples’ participation as it crafts and develops most of its policies and programs to primarily serve big business interests over people’s economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights. The concerns of the marginalized and exploited often remain unaddressed while corporate greed and abuse of power are generally unfettered.
...Human rights violations have been very evident in the continuous threats and actual subjugation of democratic rights, fundamental freedoms and economic rights in the region.
ASEAN is not a safe place for human rights activists and defenders, journalists and people who have progressive and modernizing ideas...
The 50th year of ASEAN should be a year to realize the hopes of its people that is anchored on human rights, promotes non-discrimination, equality, and inclusive development.