International Research Conference in Bandung
Commemorating the Golden Jubilee of Asia Africa Conference 1955

We the participants from 14 countries and 40 organizations have gathered at the Permata Bidakara Hotel, Bandung 14-15 April 2005 to commemorate the spirit and vision of the Asia-Africa Conference held fifty years ago.

The Asia-Africa conference was the culmination of the struggles of the peoples of Africa and Asia for national independence, freedom from colonialism and a just and equitable society. The Bandung Declaration committed the states of Asia and Africa to ten principles of peaceful co-existence including: respect for territorial integrity, non-aggression, non-interference, equality and welfare. The conference brought together the nations oppressed by colonialism and imperialism in Asia and Africa to resist domination and militarism and to build solidarities of the peoples.

Fifty years later, we find that formal independence has not automatically led to the end of economic exploitation, militaristic intervention, cultural oppression and all other features of domination and control under capitalism and colonialism. Though Bandung called for a free Palestine today Palestine is under more intensive occupation and the list of states under occupation has increased with US occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The people of Indonesia, hosts of Bandung conferences then and now, find themselves trapped in debt and poverty, environmental degradation, political intervention and erosion of their democratic aspirations.

The victory of Western imperialism at the end of the Cold War has created a new and unprecedented situation for the peoples of Asia, Africa and others in the South Economically, the capitalist-imperialist policies have intensified the appropriation of the wealth of Asia and Africa to capitalist nations. Politically, the people are subjected to violation of their democratic rights, new forms of militarism, fundamentalisms and violation of national sovereignty. Culturally, ever more sophisticated means of subordination through control of mass media, and propagation of monocultural consumerism, masquerading as cultural freedom has colonized the minds of the people.

At this conjuncture the Asia Africa Summit to be held in Bandung from 22-23 April 2005 faces major challenges. We call upon the leaders of Asia and Africa gathered at the meeting to act on the pledges made by their predecessors at the first Bandung conference. More specifically, we call upon them to reject the proposals for UN reforms in the report "In Larger Freedom" as suggested by the UN Secretary General to the forthcoming Summit.

We demand that the leaders at the Summit:

1. Resist increasing militarism in the region and condemn the continuous unilateral military interventions by Western powers, in particular the US, against sovereign nations under the pretext of war against terrorism.

2. Oppose international economic policies which exploit people and resources of the South, demand debt cancellation, introduce comprehensive equitable land reforms and commit to peaceful means for ending conflicts.

3. Disengage from, and work for the abolishment of undemocratic financial and trade institutions such as the WB, IMF and WTO and commit the States of the region to the democratization and fundamental reform of the UN.

4. Ensure democratic rights and civil liberties of peoples within the countries of the region, including the right to determine their economic, political and cultural futures.

5. To renew the pledge to defend the right of self-determination of peoples against imperialist powers.

Today we the people and social movements present here in Bandung reaffirm our commitment to continue the struggle for independence, self-determination and peace against imperialist war and globalization.

Jazminda Lumang-Buncan
NEWLINEGeneral Secretary\

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© 2004 Bulatlat ■  Alipato Publications

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