Asia Foundation struggles to strengthen civil society
Asia Foundation struggles to strengthen civil society
JAKARTA (JP): While many private organizations tend to shy
away from issues concerning political development, the Asia
Foundation, through its own quiet work, has clearly underlined
strengthening civil societies as one of its objectives.
However unlike other crusaders for political rights, the
foundation has gone about it in a discreet and unobtrusive
fashion.
Douglas E. Ramage, the Asia Foundation's representative here,
while underlining the importance of its work in areas of
promoting democracy, political openness and free and open
markets, also stresses that the foundation is not trying "to tell
Indonesians what to do."
"We're not here to promote anything that the Indonesian people
are not interested in doing," he told The Jakarta Post.
He claims that while the Foundation is active in areas of
political development, it does not have a political agenda.
The Asia Foundation was established in 1954 with the aim of
promoting U.S.-Asian understanding and encouraging cooperation
and also focuses on strengthening representative governments and
legal systems, an independent press, fostering market economies,
accountability in both the public and private sectors and
increasing broad participation in public life.
It receives its US$40-million annual budget from both the
private and public sectors; about half is donated by the United
States' government.
Though it has been involved in various projects here since
1955, it was not until 1971 that it set up a representative
office in Jakarta. This year therefore represents the 25th
anniversary of the foundation's activities here.
The Foundation now has 14 offices in the Asia-Pacific region.
Throughout the years its work has evolved from mere grant-
making into a resource organization providing assistance in the
design of policies and policy frameworks.
Some of its most recent initiatives include creating a
framework for an alternative dispute resolution mechanism.
The work in this area began in 1993 with the Indonesian Center
for Environmental Law. The foundation is also working with the
National Development Planning Board on larger issues of
alternative dispute resolution.
The foundation also supports cooperation programs with the
Indonesian House of Representatives, the Supreme Court and the
National Commission on Human Rights.
In 1995 it also launched a program with the Nahdlatul Ulama
for a creative program of leadership development that is
participatory, non-hierarchical and grass-roots oriented.
When asked why the foundation engaged in such activities,
Ramage answered diplomatically: "the support of civil societies
in itself is a good thing."
He added that helping to break down misconceptions between
Asian and American societies is an important aspect of
establishing closer cooperation in the future.
"It does no one any good to have misunderstandings," he said.
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