[asia-apec 598] Re: International Conference on the Engagement of Civil Society in the APEC Process

[jane kelsey]

How extraordinary that such people are so eager to participate in a 
process which has so manifestly failed. 

Jane Kelsey
Professor of Law
Auckland University
New Zealand


On Wed, 02 Sep 1998 19:36:16 PAN Asia Pacific <panap at panap.po.my> wrote:

> The Engagement of Civil Society in the APEC Process
> 
> Paradise Sandy Bay Hotel
> Penang Malaysia
> 5-7 October 1998
> 
> The Research and Education for Peace Unit of the School of Social
> Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, in collaboration with the
> Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto will host
> an International Conferene on the Engagement of Civil Society in
> the APEC Process" in Penang, October 5-6.  The conference is
> sponsored by SEAFILD-CIDA.
> 
> 
> CONCEPT
> 
> In the past, it has seemed that civil society and the APEC forum
> were in opposition.  For example, during the 1996 Manila APEC
> conference, a counterpart conference was held by NGOs and other
> groups opposed to APEC.  A similar conference was held in response
> to the most recent APEC meeting in Vancouver.  These groups
> perceive APEC as a process driven by regional business interests
> and political elites which will inevitably undermine the rights of
> labour, the protection of the environment, and the ability of
> ordinary citizens to participate in their own governance. 
> Ultimately, if APEC is to be successful, it must address the
> concerns of these opposition groups.  The idea we are proposing is
> the study of if and how these representatives of civil society can
> be reconciled with APEC.  WE accept the fact that there has been
> informal and indirect participation of civil groups in such
> structures as the human resources development working group;
> however, we are suggesting that there be a deeper and more formal
> process of engagement between civil society and APEC governments. 
> We hope to intitiate the beginnings of a necessary dialogue
> between governments and civil societies through the holding of a
> conference designed to explore the possibilities of productive
> interaction between these opposing forces.
> 
> The conference in Malaysia hopes to bring together academics,
> representatives of civil society and government officials.  We
> propose that they discuss the creation of structures that will aid
> the inclusion of civil society in the APEC process.  The critical
> issues they should discuss are:
> 
> i)    environment
> ii)   human rights and labour
> iii)  gender issues
> iv)   economic development and crisis management
> 
> The conference will have up top fifty invited individuals
> representing those sections of the academic, NGO, and official
> policy-making communities who are concerned with these questions. 
> Over the course of two days, a series of discussions with panels
> will broadly address these central issues.  Academics will prepare
> papers addressing specific areas of conflict.  Government and NGO
> representatives will direct their comments towards the content of
> these presentations.  We believe that following this format will
> facilitate productive discussions based on on definite proposals. 
> Limiting the size of the conference will encourage the creation of
> informal contacts between the participants.
> 
> It is important to emphasize that this conference is not
> envisioned as part of the official "track two" process.  All
> conference delegates will be expected to participate in an
> unofficial capacity and at a level of informality greater than
> what is usually found in track two fora.
> 
> 
> TENTATIVE PROGRAMME AND UNCONFIRMED INVITEES
> 
> Monday, October 5
> 
> 8.00 am         Registration
> 
> Welcoming Remarks:
>                 -Y. Bhg. Dato' Ishak Tambi Kechik, Vice-Chancellor
> USM 
>                 -Director of Seafild-CIDA
> 
> Session One: THE ENGAGEMENT OF CIVIL SOCIETY IN APEC: MODELS AND
> STRUCTURES
> 
> Chair:  Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda, Malaysia
> 
> Panelists: 
> 
> Johan Saravanamuttu, USM, Malaysia: "Engagement Approaches in the
>         Asia Pacific"
> Alison Van Rooy, North-South Institute, Ottawa: "Models of
>         Engagement"
> Woo Yuen Pau, Canadian APEC Study Centre: "Role of APEC Study
>         Centres"
> 
> Discussants: Robert Scollay, New Zealand
>         Mignon Chan, Chinese-Taipei
> 
> 
> Session Two:  The Canadian APEC Experience in Civic Engagement
> 
> Chair:  Chris Tremewan, New Zealand 
> 
> Panelists:
>         John Kirton, CIS, Toronto: "The Canadian FEEEP Agenda:
> Successes and Failures"
>         John Curtis, APEC Economic Committee, Canada: "Government
> Inputs in Civil Engagement"
>         Heather Gibb, North-South Institute, Ottawa: "Engagement on
> Gender Issues: The Canadian Approach"
> 
> Discussants:
>         Seiichiro Takagi, Japan
>         
> 
> Session Three: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT IN APEC
> 
> Chair:  K.S. Jomo. Malaysia
> 
> Panelists:
>         Martin Khor, Third World Network, Malaysia: "The Limits and
> Potential of Regional Organisation in Managing Economic Crisis"
>         Jusuf Wanadi, CSIS, Indonesia: "Implications of the
> Indonesian Meltdown on APEC"
>         Peter Petri, Brandeis University, USA: "Towards a New
> Architecture for Financial Crisis Management" 
> 
> Discussants:
>         Zainal Aznam Yusof, Malaysia
>         Sung Hoon Park, Korea
> 
> 
> Session Four: ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
> 
> Chair:  F. Josie, Malaysia
> 
> Panelists:
>         Jakrit Kuanpote, Thailand: "Intellectual Property Claims
> and APEC: The Basmati/Jasmine Rice Patents Controversy"
>         Gurmit Singh, Malaysia: "Kyoto Protocol to UN Framework on
> Climate Change
>         William Rees, Canada: "Strategies for an Ecologically
> Sustainable APEC Region"
> 
> Discussants:
>         Sven Hamrell, Canada
>         Michel Lambert, Canada
>        
>         
> Tuesday, October 6
>                 
> Session Five: GENDER
> 
> Chair:  Heather Gibb, Canada
> 
> Panelists:
>         Cecilia Ng, UNU, Malysia: "Gender Sensitive
> Information Technology: Policies for APEC"
>         Ermilita Valdeavilla, National Commission on the Role of
> Filipino Women: "Successes and Failures of the APEC Women's
> Leaders Network"
>         Pasuk Phongpaichit, Thailand: "The Social and Economic
> Impact of the Asian Crisis on Women"
> 
> Discussants:
>         Judith Nagata, Canada
>         Vanessa Griffen, APDC, Women's Programme
> 
>         
> Session Six: LABOUR AND HUMAN RIGHTS
> 
> Chair:  Ishak Shari, Malaysia
> 
> Panelists:
>         Irene Fernandez, Tenaganita: "Economic
> Liberalisation and Labour Rights"
>         Marzuki Darusman, Human Rights Commission of Indonesia:
> "The Role of National Human Rights Commissions for Regional Reforms"
>         Unconfirmed Speaker: "Human Rights as an Agenda for APEC"
> 
> Discussants:
>         Chuah Beng Huat, Singapore
> 
> Session Seven: ENGAEMENT EXPERIENCES OF ABAC, PECC, AND PBEC
> 
> Chair:  Osman Rani Hassan, Malaysia
> 
> Panelists:
>         Shafiq Sit Abdullah, Malaysia ABAC: "Business-Government
> Engagement in APEC"
>         Rohana Tan Sri Mahmood, MSRC, Malaysia: "PEBC/PECC and
> their Role in APEC"
>         Ponciano S. Intal, Philippines: "Linking Technical
> Cooperation Initiatives in Civil Society"
> 
> Discussants:
>         Mohamed Ariff, Malaysia
>         Mehdi Krongkaew, Thailand
> 
> 
> Session Eight: FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
> CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN APEC
> 
> Chair:  Johan Saravanamutu, Malaysia
> 
> Panelists:
>         Walden Bello, Focus on the Global South: "Towards a
> People-Oriented APEC"
>         Anwar Fazal, SERI-UN, Malaysia: "The prospects of Good
> Governance Through APEC"
>         John McKay, Australian APEC Study Centre, California:
> "Economic Liberalisation and Community Building in APEC"
> 
> Discussants:
>         Federico M. Macaranas, Philippines
>         Devlin Kuyek, Pesticide Action Network, Malaysia
> 
>         
> Wednesday, October 7
> 
> WORKING MEETING OF RAPPORTEURS AND PREPARATION OF
> DOCUMENTS
> 
> Chair:  Shaun Narine, Canada (Models and Structures/ Canadian
> Experience)
>         S. Subramaniam (Economics/ Business)
>         Chan Chee Khoon (Environment)
>         Maznah Mohamad (Gender)
>         Michael Chai (Labour and Human Rights)
>         Alison van Rooy (Recommendations)
>         
> 
> The conference coordinators are:
> 
> Professor Johan Saravanamuttu
> email: johans at usm.my
> 
> Ms. Teh Gaik Lan
> Administrative Assistant
> email: glteh at notes.usm.my          
> 
>         
>                               
> 
> 
>         
> 

----------------------
jane kelsey
j.kelsey at auckland.ac.nz