[asia-apec 599] Re: International Conference on the Engagement of Civil Society in the APEC Process

[George Aditjondro]

Hope to see you at the conference on Indonesia and East Timor at your
university, next week, Professor Kelsey.

George J. Aditjondro

>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