Asian democrats see hard work ahead<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (AFP): Asia faces an uphill battle for ensuring full
\ndemocracy despite significant inroads such as holding free
\nelections in Taiwan and Indonesia, the region's democrats said on
\nSunday.<\/p>\n
They said they expect the advance of information technology,
\nand the wide use of the Internet, to boost their campaign for
\nmore open political systems.<\/p>\n
Martin Lee, chairman Hong Kong's opposition Democratic Party,
\nsaid some Asian leaders wrongly argued that Western-style
\ndemocracy was not suited to the region because of the vast
\ncultural diversity.<\/p>\n
\"I think it is important for the world to know that we Asians
\nare not a different people. And if democracy is a good thing for
\nthe people of any continent, then it is good for the people of
\nthis continent,\" he told a news conference.<\/p>\n
Lee, a member of Hong Kong's Legislative Council, attended a
\nforum on \"political openness and democratic accountability\" held
\nhere Saturday.<\/p>\n
Lim Guan Eng, vice chairman of the Democratic Action Party in
\nMalaysia, said democracy was boosted within the Association of
\nSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) grouping since the first
\ndemocratic elections in Indonesia last year.<\/p>\n
The elections followed the fall of president Soeharto.
\nBut Lim also noted the presence of laggards within ASEAN, which
\ngroups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
\nPhilippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
\"Thailand has made tremendous progress, but I think generally,
\nASEAN countries ... should take a proactive stand towards
\ndemocracy,\" he said.
\n\"I think it's going to be a painful process. From our own
\nexperiences, democracy is never given. It must be fought for and
\nI think the people of ASEAN countries will still have a lot of
\nfighting do to,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Hong Kong's Lee said Asia has seen some progress in the move
\ntoward democracy.
\n\"But you also see setbacks,\" he said, citing the ouster of prime
\nminister Nawaz Sharif in Pakistan by the armed forces chief.<\/p>\n
Wilson Tien, director for international affairs of Taiwan's
\nDemocratic Progressive Party (DPP), said he was hopeful the
\nInternet would bolster pro-democracy movements because it made it
\nharder for governments to regulate information.<\/p>\n
The DPP, headed by President Chen Shui-bian, upset the
\ndominant Kuomintang party in Taiwan's presidential elections
\nearlier this year.<\/p>\n
Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam, the grand old man of the Singapore
\nopposition, added: \"There is no question that governments,
\nwhatever they resort to, will not be able to prevent the advance
\nof democracy.\"<\/p>\n
Chee Soon Juan, secretary general of the opposition Singapore
\nDemocratic Party, said the future of democracy in East Asia would
\ndepend on democrats banding together to exert some influence.<\/p>\n
He cited the formation of a Forum of Democratic Leaders in the
\nAsia-Pacific which includes South Korean President Kim Dae Jung,
\nformer Philippine president Corazon Aquino and Indian opposition
\nleader Sonia Gandhi, among others.<\/p>\n
Democrats from the region should unite to \"tell the
\ngovernments that you cannot bully one democrat in a country
\nwithout also affecting democrats in other countries,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asian-democrats-see-hard-work-ahead-1447893297",
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