Thein Sein has had a tough start to the presidency in Burma. But denying Burma the ASEAN chair would have to be only the start of increased pressure. Burma’s hard-line new dictator, President Thein Sein, has suffered a series of setbacks in his attempts to persuade the international community that there has been real change in Burma […]
• •The theme of this year’s ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN People’s Forum 2011 (ACSC/APF) was, as it turned out, ironically “Claiming a People-Centered ASEAN for a Just Global Community.” Despite the determined efforts of civil society groups throughout the region, as the events of the week transpired it was clear that the ASEAN leaders had re-claimed ASEAN for itself, rather than the people.
Beginning with an inspiring keynote video message from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi that received a standing ovation from regional civil society, the week ended with a shocking undermining of civil society, with ASEAN leaders actively controlling what should have been an open and transparent opportunity for dialogue between the leaders of ASEAN and the people […]
• • •Asean failed to resolve the issue of Burma’s chairmanship yesterday, the last day of the bloc’s 18th summit in Jakarta.
A statement from the current chair, Indonesia, only reiterated support for the steady progress and political development in Burma following a general election and the formation of a new government […]
•Dear Excellency H.E. Amb. U Nyan Lynn,
On behalf of the Committee of the ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN Peoples’ Forum, I would like to convey our heartfelt thanks for the communication and coordination from the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to the idea of people’s participation and engagement and the Informal […]
• • •We are representing the participants of the ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN Peoples’ Forum (ACSC/APF). The ACSC/APF brought together 1,300 participants, working on a wide diversity of issues in ASEAN countries. We met from May 3-5 to share updates on our work to deal with the critical challenges facing […]
• • •As of 1.30 p.m. on 7th of May 2011, the struggle to establish a genuine and meaningful dialogue between Civil Society and ASEAN’s Heads of Government at 4.00 p.m. today remains a stark and troubling reality. Up until 3.30 a.m. this morning (7th May 2011), the country delegates representing the peoples of ASEAN through the ACSC/APF process […]
• • •The decision of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) on whether Burma will be the allowed to become the chair of the organization in 2014 has been deferred until later in the year. Asean is in no rush to approve the Burmese bid to become head of Asean, the Indonesian foreign minister, Marty Natalegawa told The Irrawaddy a day before the latest regional summit starts in Jakarta […]
• • •A delegation of civic groups from inside Burma that are backed by the government and a separate delegation of independent pro-democracy groups from outside Burma were unable to agree on who would represent the combined groups at the May 7 interface meeting with Association of Southeast Asian Nation (Asean) leaders in Jakarta, Indonesia […]
• •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 […]
• •The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) calls on ASEAN leaders attending the 18th ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia on 7-8 May 2011 to reject the application by Myanmar to chair ASEAN in 2014 unless real democratic and human rights reforms are made by the Myanmar government […]
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