----- Original Message -----
From: Shahzad Ahmad <shahzad@isb.sdnpk.org>
Sent: Monday, February 07, 2005 10:30 PM
Subject: [CI] People's Summit for People's SAARC (Day 2)
> People's Summit for People's SAARC (Day 2)
> Reported by Shahzad Ahmad in Dhaka
>
> The second day of the summit is even more moving, vibrant, full of
> enthusiasm and felt a lot friendlier. Probably group work in thematic
> commissions in the later part of the first day of the summit did help to
> bring people of different nationalities, religions, cultures and languages
> together. The cause is common, to join hands and help the betterment of
> south Asian region. Unfortunately, south Asia, one of the most densely
> populated part of the world is one most troubled area on the planet. There
> are all sorts of issues ranging from extreme poverty to governance,
> livelihood of common people to illiteracy, environmental degradation to
> globalization, militarization to human security and above all negligence
of
> governments and leaders to honor the peoples' will, who wish to get rid of
> all darkness in their lives. Government policies seems all lip service and
> never implemented in its true spirits in the region. Another realization
was
> evident that people are hostage to political gains of leaders.
>
> Continuing in the group work for the first two hours of the second day of
> the summit, finalizing and properly phrasing the recommendations to the
> summit declaration was standing a great challenge for the organizers to
> formulate a summit declaration which should be acceptable to most
> representatives in the summit on behalf of south Asian people. The
> declaration will later be submitted to SAARC governments.
>
> Draft declaration presented before the summit depicted a frightening and
> horrible picture of issues and problems in the region. Honoring the civil
> society traditions and in the true spirit of democracy, each and every
> recommendation was opened for discussion by the summit in plenary to seek
> the agreement and consensus.
>
> The two page declaration starts with showing deepest grief on the
> devastation in Tsunami and offering heartfelt sympathies to the survivors
> and expresses concern over neglect of states in providing relevant
> information to citizens and failing to forewarn the people. It also
> expresses anger and shock over mishandling of the post-disaster situation
> and failure in creating systems to reach the victims and delivery of
relief
> and assistance in the rehabilitation. The summit appreciated
"unprecedented"
> generosity and benevolence of the people of the world to help the victims
> and called for an effective mechanism to supervise the relief efforts. The
> summit also endorsed the priorities and commitments made at the World
> Conference on Disaster Reduction and urge the governments in the region to
> formulate an effective system to share expertise, knowledge and hydro-
> meteorological information to avoid or minimize the risk of any such
natural
> catastrophe in the future.
>
> The declaration reiterates the pledge to strengthen peoples' struggle for
> peaceful, democratic, prosperous, progressive and tolerant south Asia and
> protests against all strategies, policies, mechanisms and actions of
states
> and non-state actors from within or/and outside south Asia encouraging
> militarization, jingoism, feudalism, extremism and exploitation. It
> deplores appalling trends of corporate culture promoted by neo-liberal
> economies adversely affecting marginalized and poorer sections of south
> Asia. It calls for immediate reduction in military expenditures of the
> governments in the region to provide quality education, health services
and
> clean drinking water and good governance through accountability,
> transparency and eradicating corruption and inefficiency.
>
> The declaration especially called for the governments to ensure peoples'
> RIGHT TO INFORMATION as fundamental right of citizens. Voice was raised
> regarding peoples' RIGHT TO COMMUNICATION. Given the current situation in
> Nepal, where the government has suspended the whole communication
> infrastructure for the last 8 days, summit was unanimous on urging upon
the
> governments in the region to honor the peoples' basic rights to
information
> and communication. Issues related to emerging information society were
also
> flagged and requested to look into it, in the perspective of south Asian
> peculiarities.
>
> People also demanded to implement a Gender Equality Policy at the regional
> level for all government policies such as education, health and
inheritance
> and provide constitutional guarantees and ensure gender sensitive
curriculum
> in education system. It was also urged upon the governments to stop the
> exclusion and include the marginalized groups and ensure women
participation
> in decision making processes.
>
> It seems a long wish list, many demands..., I saw many participants
> distressed, weeping, full of tears but certainly there was hope and will,
to
> stand for their rights and looking forward to a bright future. Though, I
> personally, don't see much happening on this wish list but it did
highlight
> and represent peoples' will to contribute to eliminate all the ills in the
> society. At least people are concerned and raising their voices against
all
> evils. HOPE REMAINS FOREVER!
>
> The summit ended observing a one-minute silence to condole the deaths in
> Tsunami.
>
> Signing off from Dhaka.
>
> Best wishes and regards.
>
> Shahzad Ahmad
> Bytesforall
>
> Hope remains forever!
>