Leaders urged to discuss pressing problems at summit<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
In the relative seclusion of a paltry meeting room inside a
\nthree-star hotel, a gathering on Wednesday of some 50 people
\nrepresenting civil organizations from Asian and African nations
\ndecided to draw up action plans to be submitted for discussion in
\nthe upcoming Asian-African Summit.<\/p>\n
The two-day gathering, termed the Asia-Africa Forum 2005, was
\nopened with a reflection on interfaith solidarity and was
\nfollowed with a somehow reluctant singing of John Lennon's
\nImagine.<\/p>\n
Next agenda? How to resolve the lingering economic
\ncolonization of most Asian and African countries, five decades
\nafter the 1955 Asia-Africa Conference where leaders from 29
\ncountries vowed to break away from all forms of colonization.<\/p>\n
\"It's true that these countries have been liberated from
\ncolonialism, but a new face of imperialism has taken place in the
\nform of economic colonization, depriving us of an equal position
\nin international economic forums,\" gathering initiator from the
\nChristian Conference Asia (CCA) Josef Widyaatmadja said.<\/p>\n
As part of the rival Asian-African Summit events, the
\ngathering is aimed at discussing the economic colonization and
\nits effects.<\/p>\n
The results, said Josef, would be submitted to the government
\nand hopefully be addressed by dignitaries attending the summit,
\nconsidering that civil organizations -- or \"the people\" as Josef
\nput it -- are not invited to participate in the Asian-African
\nSummit.<\/p>\n
He suspected that the upcoming three-day government summit, to
\nbe held next week in Jakarta and Bandung, would serve as a mere
\nnostalgic celebration without resulting in concrete ideas of how
\nto address the aforementioned issues being faced by the two
\ncontinents.<\/p>\n
\"Poverty is mainly seen on these two continents, and the
\nfuture world seems to belong to those who comply to the free
\nmarket, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Bank or the
\nInternational Monetary Fund (IMF) led by Western countries,\" said
\nJosef.<\/p>\n
Therefore, he added, Asian and African countries should form a
\nstronger cooperation and network to gain a more considerable
\nposition in international economic institutions against developed
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
Josef's opinion was shared by globalization observer H.S.
\nDillon, saying that what occurred in Cancun should be a well-
\nlearned lesson by developing countries and a proof of power in
\nunity.<\/p>\n
A 2003 WTO meeting in Cancun concluded with no results after
\ndeveloped and developing countries sustained intensive arguments
\nto defend each other's interests in global trade.<\/p>\n
Dillon added that Asian and African countries should revisit
\nthe notion of the 1955 conference that newly independent nations
\nhad yet to emerge as equals to their former masters.<\/p>\n
\"They then understood the need to establish a new emerging
\nforce as a counteracting power. Today it's obvious that the same
\nsolidarity should once again create effective partnership in the
\nfight against global injustice,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/leaders-urged-to-discuss-pressing-problems-at-summit-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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