This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 11, April 24-30, 2005
International Research Conference in Bandung We demand that the leaders
at the Summit: © 2004 Bulatlat
■
Alipato Publications Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.
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.
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\
NEWLINEAsia Pacific Research Network\
NEWLINEc/o IBON Foundation, Inc.\
NEWLINE3/F SCC Bldg., 4427 Interior Old Sta. Mesa,\
NEWLINEManila 1008 PHILIPPINES\
NEWLINETel Nos. +632-7141831, 7132729, 7132737\
NEWLINEFax No. +632-7160108\
NEWLINEEmail: secretariat@aprnet.org\
NEWLINEURL: www.aprnet.org\