" Statement of the ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN People's Forum 2017", 10 November 2017

We are people’s organizations, social movements and NGOs of youth,  children, women, workers, older people, indigenous groups, persons with disabilities, LGBTIQ and other sectors, including academics from the ten (10) ASEAN countries plus East Timor...  

We see the ASEAN as a strategic platform to engage member states and their mechanisms to advance peoples’ interests and address issues concerning development, trade, environment, migration, peace, security and human rights.

...ASEAN has provided limited spaces for peoples’ participation as it crafts and develops most of its policies and programs to primarily serve big business interests over people’s economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights. The concerns of the marginalized and exploited often remain unaddressed while corporate greed and abuse of power are generally unfettered.

...Human  rights  violations  have  been  very  evident  in the continuous  threats and actual subjugation of  democratic  rights, fundamental freedoms and economic  rights in the region.

ASEAN is not a safe place for human rights activists and defenders, journalists and people who have progressive and modernizing ideas...

The  50^th year  of  ASEAN  should  be  a  year  to  realize  the  hopes  of  its  people  that  is  anchored  on human rights, promotes non-discrimination, equality, and inclusive development.