2008 ASEAN People's Charter Processes - Schedule of Workshops
Posted:  May 6, 2008   02:15:36pm

In November 2007, the 3rd ACSC was organized in Singapore with the participation of 180 members of civil society from all over the region. One of the commitments agreed upon during the conference was the drafting of the ASEAN People's Charter, which is meant to enshrine the values and principles the people of ASEAN firmly believe ought to be reflected in the landmark instrument that will signal the birth of a legal identity for ASEAN after 40 years of existence.

It is in keeping with these ASEAN-related commitments that SEACA, in its capacity as focal point of the SAPA WG on ASEAN, has endeavored to continue engaging the new ASEAN leadership headed by Secretary General Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, who participated in his first dialogue with civil society in February 2008 in Bangkok, Thailand. SEACA and the SAPA WG on ASEAN have likewise met with staff of the ASEAN Secretariat in March 2008 in Jakarta, Indonesia. In both meetings, spaces for continued engagement of civil society and genuine exchanges between civil society and ASEAN on critical ASEAN activities, documents, and policies were discussed. The Secretary General, in his speech at the February meeting, repeatedly acknowledged that ASEAN needs civil society and that space will be opened for meaningful interactions. His staff at the Secretariat readily welcomed civil society delegates as important partners in ASEAN Community building. In both instances, specific opportunities and spaces for civil society engagements were laid out including the drafting processes for the ASEAN Political/Security Community (ASC) Blueprint and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Blueprint.

As a continuing effort for civil society engagement with the ASEAN, SEACA is supporting national and local civil society organizations to converge for country Workshops and Roundtable Discussions (RTDs) on the ASEAN People's Charter and Engaging the Drafting of the ASEAN Political/Security Community (ASC) and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Blueprints.

The objectives of the Workshops and RTDs on the ASEAN People's Charter and the Blueprints are as follows:

To broaden and deepen civil society participation and engagement with ASEAN not just at the regional but also at the country level,

To raise awareness of civil society organizations and the people of ASEAN on the ASEAN People's Charter and the drafting processes for the ASC and ASCC Blueprints,

To foster and encourage an inclusive and consultative process on the drafting and finalization of the ASEAN People's Charter for presentation during the 4th ACSC in Thailand in late 2008, and

To gather and consolidate civil society inputs on the drafting of the ASC and the ASCC Blueprints.

Please take note of this schedule of the national processes:

May 9 - Philippines 8:30am-5:00pm at the University of the Philippines - Balay Kalinaw organized by Center for Migrants Advocacy (CMA) confirmed
May 20 - Cambodia Khemarac University, Phnom Penh organized by Star Kampuchea confirmed
May 23-24 - Indonesia Jakarta organized by Human Rights Working Group to be confirmed
May 24 - Singapore (this process is wholly organized by the Singapore WG on ASEAN - details to be confirmed by Sinapan Samydorai)
May 27 - Malaysia Hotel Royal Bintang, Kuala Lumpur organized by SUARAM confirmed

Details for the Burma National Process at the Thai-Burma border have yet to be finalized.