Toward an Asia Pacific NGO network<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post was invited to attend the First Pacific Asia
\nCongress in Seoul from Oct. 28 to Oct. 29. The following and
\nthree other articles on this page are reports from the congress.<\/p>\n
By Harry Bhaskara<\/p>\n
SEOUL (JP): In recent years, thriving economic activity in the
\nAsia Pacific region has resulted in more extensive people to
\npeople contact, along with its political, social and cultural
\nimplications.<\/p>\n
A group of 20 scholars and society leaders meeting here last
\nweek were determined to face these multifaceted implications
\nthrough the founding of an international network linking leading
\nnon-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the region.<\/p>\n
\"It will be a terrible mistake if we expect the government to
\nsolve all our problems. Governments are quite effective at
\ncertain things, and quite ineffective at others,\" said Dr. Sonu
\nChung-ho, president of Seoul National University, at the
\ncongress.<\/p>\n
Governments are good at diplomacy, war and alliances, he said,
\nbut most economic and social activity is, by its nature,
\nindividualistic and entrepreneurial.<\/p>\n
The delegates from 14 countries meeting at the university's
\nFaculty House envisioned a network of public sectors who share
\nthe vision of a regional community.<\/p>\n
Among them were Frank Gibney and Abraham Lowenthal of the
\nUnited States, Rawdon Dalrymple of Australia, Chen Luzhi of
\nChina, Hadi Soesastro and Djuhari Wiranatakusumah of Indonesia,
\nAgapito Aquino of the Philippines, Akihiko Tanaka of Japan, Dao
\nHuy Ngoc of Vietnam, Yu-han Chu of Taiwan, Ramli Nik of Malaysia,
\nSanjiin Bayar of Mongolia, Gaffar Peang-meth of Guam, Pang Eng
\nFong and Chia Siow Yue of Singapore.<\/p>\n
Dr. Sonu and Senior Secretary to the President for Foreign
\nPolicy and National Security Yoo Chong-ha presented their views.<\/p>\n
Yoo said South Korea is fearlessly introducing self-rule and
\nderegulation into all aspects of state affairs under the banner
\nof Segyehwa, or globalization.<\/p>\n
Discussions in the two-day congress were centered on defining
\nthe network's program and how to kick-start it.<\/p>\n
Fund-raising for the network has been going on since 1994 when
\nthe Pacific Asia Society, which organized the present congress,
\nwas founded. It came primarily from private donations and a
\nUS$125 annual membership fee.<\/p>\n
Participants were enthusiastic to get the network's program to
\nwork immediately, but were equally aware of the huge challenges
\nlying ahead.<\/p>\n
Setting up a network of NGOs in even one country is
\nchallenging enough, never mind in a region comprising many
\nnations and a multitude of cultures. Indonesia, with some 200
\nethnic groups, can serve as an example. It now has some 8,000
\nNGOs dedicating themselves to different sectors, and even those
\nworking in a similar sector are not always able to cooperate, due
\nto different points of view and motivations.<\/p>\n
Besides, funding for many NGOs in Indonesia poses a problem
\nbecause most donors are from developed countries. This often
\ncreates an unhealthy dependency and tension among NGOs, who vie
\nfor the attention of donor countries.<\/p>\n
The Korean-initiated NGO network seems to be self-sufficient,
\nbut it is running the risk of being dominated by representatives
\nfrom the initiator country.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, as Hadi Soesastro of Indonesia said, any gesture
\nfor cooperation in any field is good for the region.<\/p>\n
Various suggestions were brought up at the congress, ranging
\nfrom exchanging students to setting up public broadcast systems.<\/p>\n
Frank Gibney, president of the U.S.-based Pacific Basin
\nInstitute, said it would be ideal if the network would develop as
\nan \"early warning system\" in the region by having the freedom to
\nconsider problems and pushing for solutions.<\/p>\n
Singapore Ambassador to the European Union Pang Eng Fong
\nrecommended efforts to foster a sense of community in the region
\nthrough networking, face to face dialog and the building of a
\nshared values.<\/p>\n
Soesastro emphasized the need for organizations that are
\npeople oriented.<\/p>\n
\"There is a concern that the government has become the
\ninstrument of business,\" he said, citing several regional
\neconomic organizations.<\/p>\n
Akihiko Tanaka suggested that the network should foster a
\nmutual understanding of the history of southeast Asia by
\ncommissioning historians in the region to write its history
\ntogether.<\/p>\n
\"I don't mean only history of the recent past, but in the long
\nterm: in the last millennium, or 1000 years,\" he said to the
\ncheers of other delegates.<\/p>\n
Some Japanese neighbors, notably China and Korea, are known to
\nbe not very happy with the way history is taught in Japanese
\nschools.<\/p>\n
What do outsiders think of the network?<\/p>\n
\"The Asia Pacific is too much an extensive concept,\" said Kim
\nMyong-sik, managing editor of Korea Times, in a separate
\ninterview. \"The region has too much diversity. On one side, you
\nhave the United States and Canada. On the other, you have, among
\nothers, Japan, Korea, the Philippines and Thailand.\"<\/p>\n
Because of its diversity, he said, it's important for the
\nleaders in the region to build a sense of community among the
\npeople.<\/p>\n
\"The Asia Pacific virtually means every culture in the former
\ncolonies. I think it is not going to be easy to forge this sense
\nof community. But the world is changing now, and we need to know
\neach other better,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, he said, it is a good endeavor if someone is
\ngoing to take the initiative to do it, because it will unite the
\nregion.<\/p>\n
That initiative has been taken by Kim Sang-chul, a noted
\nlawyer and a former mayor of Seoul whom, together with his
\ncolleagues, have been the prime movers of the congress.<\/p>",
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