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A letter from
Asia's leaders to US presidential candidates
Alliance
for Reform and Democracy in Asia (ARDA)
15 Feb
08
http://www.asiademocracy.org/content_view.phpsection_id=1...
To
the Honourable:
Hillary
Clinton
Mike Huckabee
John McCain
Barack Obama
Dear
Senators,
Re:
Asia's Democratic Century
Greetings
from the Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia (ARDA). The
world always looks towards America where freedom and democracy is
cherished. We write to brief you on Asia's democratic struggle
which is being waged today. The outcome will shape not just the
region but also the world.
A generation ago, the term
Pacific Century was coined to usher in Asia as an economic and
political powerhouse. Today we must focus on Asia's Democratic
Century where peace, security, justice and prosperity are
guaranteed by free peoples, stable democratic institutions, a
vibrant media, and the rule of law.
For a while, democracy
was viewed by many regional leaders as incompatible with
so-called Asian values; political liberty was de-linked with
economic growth. But democratic activists understood the Asian
values argument as hollow, and were courageous and relentless in
demanding political rights and freedoms.
A learning curve
in Asia was being established - whereby democracy was being
pushed because Asians instinctively knew that it, alone, best
guaranteed liberty. As a result, the region today boasts of many
courageous success stories of democratic transformation including
South Korea, Taiwan, Mongolia, the Philippines, Indonesia and
Timor Leste.
Yet despite this progress the future of Asia
remains problematic and potentially dangerous. There is no let up
in the crushing of dissent by the governments of North Korea,
Vietnam, Burma, and Laos.
Singapore and Malaysia continue
to use laws and their judiciaries to buttress their authoritarian
one-party states.
Sri Lanka and Nepal are in the midst of
crisis. Civil society in Pakistan is in a head-long collision
with military/mullah might.
Riots rock China as corruption
and lack of transparency and accountability tear at the heart of
the society, threatening the very existence of a vibrant and
pluralistic Hong Kong, not to mention Tibet which continues to
toil under the Chinese repression.
We at ARDA are
convinced that if democratic movements were supported throughout
Asia, the political complexion of the region would
change.
Empowering authoritarianism, bad practices, and
poor governance for minor short-term illusions of security and
economic growth is in no one's interest. In contrast, creating
overlapping arcs of democratic states would ensure an Asian
community of shared values of justice and freedom. This is a
noble goal, one that Asia's democratic leaders are determined to
pursue.
To this end, it is incumbent that the US gets more
involved. Unfortunately, the rhetoric of support for democracy in
Asia by the US has not been matched by the reality of its
actions.
Since the Iraq War, much attention and resources
has been diverted to the Middle East. Unfortunately, the
development of democracy in Asia has become a casualty in the
process.
One of the key strategies in the fight against
global terrorism must necessarily include the democratization of
the world. Asia cannot be excepted. In this regard, the US must
know who its friends are and where its interests lie.
We
remain hopeful that the vital agenda of democracy will not be
lost and we urge you to speak up and commit to one of the vital
pillars of US foreign policy: the support and encouragement of
democracy.
You face a daunting task: keeping American
secure and rebuilding U.S. leadership in a time of great
challenges. As Asian democrats, we believe that your guiding
principle would be constructing an international community
wherein peace, security, justice and prosperity are guaranteed by
free peoples, stable democratic institutions, a vibrant media and
the rule of law.
Only such an international order will
truly safeguard the United States. As members of the Alliance for
Reform and Democracy in Asia (ARDA), we believe only such an
order will satisfy the hopes and yearnings of peoples in Asia and
around the globe.
We at ARDA are in the midst of an
epochal struggle. We need, and look forward to, your support to
create Asia's Democratic Century.
We wish you the very
best in your campaign.
Your friends in liberty,
Dr
Chee Soon Juan (Chair and Secretary General of Singapore
Democratic Party)
HE Dr Oyun Sanjaasuren (Vice-chair and
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mongolia)
Mr Sarwar Bari (Founder
of Pattan, Pakistan)
Mr Tian Chua (Former Vice President,
People's Justice Party, Malaysia)
Dr Ken Coghill (Former
Speaker of Victoria Parliament, Australia)
Mr Wang Dan
(Student leader Tiananmen Movement, China)
Mr Pema
Khangtetsang (Former Minister of Security, Tibetan
Government-in-Exile)
Ms Emily Lau (Legislative Councillor,
Hong Kong)
Mr Sam Rainsy (Member of Parliament and Opposition
Leader, Cambodia)
Mdm Saumura Tioulong (Member of Parliament,
Cambodia)
Dr Paul Scott (Professor of Chinese and Japanese
Studies, Kansai Gaidai University)
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