ID :
33824
Thu, 12/04/2008 - 10:59
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http://m.oananews.org//node/33824
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News Focus: PRESIDENT YUDHOYONO SCHEDULED TO OPEN BALI DEMOCRACY FORUM
By Eliswan Azly
Jakarta, Dec 2, (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was scheduled to open the Bali Democracy Forum held on December 10 and 11, 2008 to build and consolidate democracy as strategic agenda for Asia.
Seen as a political breakthrough, the Bali Democracy Forum was expected to strengthen regional and international cooperation in democratic and political development among countries in the Asian region, Dalton Sembiring of the Foreign Ministry's Information and Media department said in an interveiw here on Wednesday.
The delegates of the participating countries will have an opportunity to share ideas on the implementation of democracy in many fields and their problems and wayout, he said, adding that the idea to host the Forum was confirmed after a two-day meeting in Nusa Dua, also in Bali, last weekend attended by 21 experts.
In the meantime, Umar Hadi, director of public diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after a press conference at the Brobudur Hotel on Monday said the Bali Democracy Forum was an initiative to promote regional and international cooperation in democratic and political development in Asia.
This is not an exclusive forum among democracies, but an open forum of countries in Asia to share experiences and best practices in fostering democracy.
According to him, the forum was expected to contribute to the pursuit of democratic ideals through dialogues and practical ooperation. It is an institution dedicated to promote regional and international cooperation in the field of democracy.
"It is also expected to strengthen democratic institutions at national level and therefore, it will also bridge the gaps in political development in Asia," Umar said, adding that this annual high-level forum of foreign ministers and prominent figures is designed to facilitate dialogues and cooperation in national capacity building of the participating countries and democracy and those aspiring to be more democratic.
In between the annual forums, there will be monthly technical workshops for senior government officials and experts to share ideas and experiences in efforts to strengthen democratic institutions, Director General for Information and Public Diplomacy Andri Hadi said.
Therefore the main theme of the forum is building and consolidating democracy as a strategic agenda for Asia," said Andri.
As to the outcome of the forum which could take the form of a consensus on shared principles the Bali Democracy Forum would promote.
To support the activities of the forum, he said that Indonesia had established an institute for peace and democracy located in the campus of the University of Udayana, Bali. The institute is an independent, non profit organization under the patronage of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Aside from organizing technical workshops, the institute will also conduct studies and research work, establish a network of experts and related organizations and publish papers and periodicals.
According to Andri, the Bali Democracy Forum would provide an opportunity for governments to discuss issues of common concern such as regular and genuine elections, multi-party system in a pluralistic and tolerant society, effective parliaments, an independent judiciary, rule of law, protection and promotion of human rights, good governance, creating an active and vibrant media, benefits of an open and competitive economy that ensures social justice for all, forging strong and dynamic civil society, the role of professional military in a democratic society.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Hasan Wirayuda during a prepatory meeting two weeks ago called on Asian countries to start putting democratic practices higher on the list of strategic issues in regional discourses. Experts from 21 Asian countries attended the event, including Azyumardi Azra, noted Islamic scholar of the Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic State University in Jakarta and Ben Reilly, director of the Centre for Democratic Institutions at the Australian National University.
"The participants generally agreed that with some Asian countries now beginning to act as powerhouses in the world economy, they should also pay closer attention to their political development," Umar Hadi said.
The forum is expected to strengthen democratic institutions at national level, thus helping bridge political development gaps in Asia.
"Indonesia has been very humble in its approach.... On the one hand, we've been undergoing this democratic transformation for 10 years, holding direct general elections at national level and hundreds -- even thousands -- of local elections peacefully and successfully.
"But on the other hand, we also see that elections aren't everything. In any democracy many democratic institutions need to thrive. So we realize that, and we're eager to learn from other countries' experiences while sharing what we've learned," Umar Hadi said.
He said the basic point was capacity in the final analysis. "When we talk about elections the question is whether our authorities can implement all the moving parts so the elections are credible, fair, democratic and peaceful."
Good elections depended not just on the capacity of electoral bodies like independent election commissions but also on the capacity of the police to maintain law and order, he said.
"As to democratization, our region is a bit behind," Umar Hadi said. The African Union framework documents clearly mention democracy, human rights and the rule of law. "If an African country were to change its government undemocratically, the other countries would be asked not to recognize it.
"With the new ASEAN charter, we are starting with ... the notion of shared democratic norms, rule of law and the protection of human rights. Countries within the ASEAN security community are committed to developing democratic institutions in the region together. Democracy's final goal is building a more stable, more peaceful society," he said.
As an inter-governmental platform, the forum provides an opportunity to Asian governments to voluntarily step into a level playing field and discuss common regional interests instead of the concerns and interests of one particular country, he said.
Bali was included in the forum's name because the Indonesian island resort has been considered a place where maintaining harmony is a valued tradition. "Moreover, all facilities -- convention centers, hotels and international airports -- are there," Umar Hadi said, adding that the government also wanted to promote Bali's profile.
Jakarta, Dec 2, (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was scheduled to open the Bali Democracy Forum held on December 10 and 11, 2008 to build and consolidate democracy as strategic agenda for Asia.
Seen as a political breakthrough, the Bali Democracy Forum was expected to strengthen regional and international cooperation in democratic and political development among countries in the Asian region, Dalton Sembiring of the Foreign Ministry's Information and Media department said in an interveiw here on Wednesday.
The delegates of the participating countries will have an opportunity to share ideas on the implementation of democracy in many fields and their problems and wayout, he said, adding that the idea to host the Forum was confirmed after a two-day meeting in Nusa Dua, also in Bali, last weekend attended by 21 experts.
In the meantime, Umar Hadi, director of public diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after a press conference at the Brobudur Hotel on Monday said the Bali Democracy Forum was an initiative to promote regional and international cooperation in democratic and political development in Asia.
This is not an exclusive forum among democracies, but an open forum of countries in Asia to share experiences and best practices in fostering democracy.
According to him, the forum was expected to contribute to the pursuit of democratic ideals through dialogues and practical ooperation. It is an institution dedicated to promote regional and international cooperation in the field of democracy.
"It is also expected to strengthen democratic institutions at national level and therefore, it will also bridge the gaps in political development in Asia," Umar said, adding that this annual high-level forum of foreign ministers and prominent figures is designed to facilitate dialogues and cooperation in national capacity building of the participating countries and democracy and those aspiring to be more democratic.
In between the annual forums, there will be monthly technical workshops for senior government officials and experts to share ideas and experiences in efforts to strengthen democratic institutions, Director General for Information and Public Diplomacy Andri Hadi said.
Therefore the main theme of the forum is building and consolidating democracy as a strategic agenda for Asia," said Andri.
As to the outcome of the forum which could take the form of a consensus on shared principles the Bali Democracy Forum would promote.
To support the activities of the forum, he said that Indonesia had established an institute for peace and democracy located in the campus of the University of Udayana, Bali. The institute is an independent, non profit organization under the patronage of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Aside from organizing technical workshops, the institute will also conduct studies and research work, establish a network of experts and related organizations and publish papers and periodicals.
According to Andri, the Bali Democracy Forum would provide an opportunity for governments to discuss issues of common concern such as regular and genuine elections, multi-party system in a pluralistic and tolerant society, effective parliaments, an independent judiciary, rule of law, protection and promotion of human rights, good governance, creating an active and vibrant media, benefits of an open and competitive economy that ensures social justice for all, forging strong and dynamic civil society, the role of professional military in a democratic society.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Hasan Wirayuda during a prepatory meeting two weeks ago called on Asian countries to start putting democratic practices higher on the list of strategic issues in regional discourses. Experts from 21 Asian countries attended the event, including Azyumardi Azra, noted Islamic scholar of the Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic State University in Jakarta and Ben Reilly, director of the Centre for Democratic Institutions at the Australian National University.
"The participants generally agreed that with some Asian countries now beginning to act as powerhouses in the world economy, they should also pay closer attention to their political development," Umar Hadi said.
The forum is expected to strengthen democratic institutions at national level, thus helping bridge political development gaps in Asia.
"Indonesia has been very humble in its approach.... On the one hand, we've been undergoing this democratic transformation for 10 years, holding direct general elections at national level and hundreds -- even thousands -- of local elections peacefully and successfully.
"But on the other hand, we also see that elections aren't everything. In any democracy many democratic institutions need to thrive. So we realize that, and we're eager to learn from other countries' experiences while sharing what we've learned," Umar Hadi said.
He said the basic point was capacity in the final analysis. "When we talk about elections the question is whether our authorities can implement all the moving parts so the elections are credible, fair, democratic and peaceful."
Good elections depended not just on the capacity of electoral bodies like independent election commissions but also on the capacity of the police to maintain law and order, he said.
"As to democratization, our region is a bit behind," Umar Hadi said. The African Union framework documents clearly mention democracy, human rights and the rule of law. "If an African country were to change its government undemocratically, the other countries would be asked not to recognize it.
"With the new ASEAN charter, we are starting with ... the notion of shared democratic norms, rule of law and the protection of human rights. Countries within the ASEAN security community are committed to developing democratic institutions in the region together. Democracy's final goal is building a more stable, more peaceful society," he said.
As an inter-governmental platform, the forum provides an opportunity to Asian governments to voluntarily step into a level playing field and discuss common regional interests instead of the concerns and interests of one particular country, he said.
Bali was included in the forum's name because the Indonesian island resort has been considered a place where maintaining harmony is a valued tradition. "Moreover, all facilities -- convention centers, hotels and international airports -- are there," Umar Hadi said, adding that the government also wanted to promote Bali's profile.
