Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 7:05 pm Post subject: "Human Security, NOT National Security – A call to Acti
The Asian Peoples’ Security Network calls on people in Western countries to learn from their experiences.
More than 50 people from 17 countries of Asia, Western Europe and Australia, met from 23-25 August 2002 in Nakhon Nayok, Thailand, to discuss issues around the theme
"Democracy and Security of the People in the Asian Region".
The participants of the workshop expressed grave concern at the imminent threat posed to the development of democracy and human rights in their countries, by the intensified use of national security laws in the framework of the "war on terrorism" launched by the US government in response to the September 11 2001 attack.
Apart from being plainly illegal and in violation of all due process rights enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) these legislations and other measures enacted and implemented in the name of "national security" or "anti-terrorism" in the past
… "have paved the way for genocides, massacres, extra-judicial killings, disappearances, torture, detention without trial and sham processes. The role of basic institutions such as an independent judiciary, prosecution and police were fundamentally undermined. Peoples’ rights to food, health, education and other basic needs were greatly reduced. People were exposed to terrible insecurity." (Declaration)
Thus the participants unanimously rejected the notion of "national security"(which usually means the security of the state or government) and warned that the prolonged operation of national security laws has catastrophically destroyed the fabric of democracy in their countries.
They called upon all peoples in the world - Asia, Europe, North America, Australia - to reject these illegal and in themselves terrorising, acts of the State, which ultimately also threaten the democratic way of life in their societies.
On the other hand, they affirmed emphatically that "real security is that which ensures the promotion and realisation of all human rights – political, social, economic and cultural – for all peoples." (Declaration)
Reaffirming the long tradition of struggle of the Asian peoples to achieve democracy in their societies, the participants resolved to continue and intensify their various national and regional programmes and campaigns to remove the obstacles to and promote the full enjoyment of human rights, as the fundamental basis for true human security.
They urgently call upon all civil society organisations to:
Take immediate actions to oppose the US ‘War on Terrorism’, in particular the planned US attack on Iraq;
Develop solidarity and cooperation amongst the people of Asia to abolish national security laws that violate human rights;
Continue to promote and develop human security as an alternative to militarisation and the ‘War on Terrorism’.
Action Requested:
The full statement of the Asian Peoples’ Security Network can be found at
When you endorse the statement a copy will be sent automatically to the office of the UN Secretary –General, Mr. Kofi Annan.
Background
Since the mid-80’s, democratic struggles in Asia – Korea, Philippines, East –Timor – have been slowly advancing, amidst great suffering and sacrifice of lives on the part of those who were in the forefront of these struggles, as well as those civilians caught in the cross-fire. But more insidious than the direct killing of people resisting the rule of authoritarian regimes is the use of national security laws to incarcerate, for long period of time and without any recourse to redress, those identified as leaders, especially those who have been perceived to be the inspirational leaders of peoples’ movements. The intention of this method is to break their spirits and with them, the spirit of the peoples’ democratic movements.
National Security Laws have been imposed in the severest forms in many countries of Asia, and have in different instances taken the form of martial law, states of emergency and the state imposition of the national/public security laws. In some countries, such laws are a permanent part of the legal framework. Under these laws, the normal constitutional and other provisions are suspended. The courts of these countries are deprived of the possibility of intervening in the protection of the rights of the people. The legal mechanisms undergo a tremendous transformation due to long term use of such restrictions as imposed by these laws.
These laws are not used to ensure the security of the people. Rather, they are used to stifle dissenting voices, to destroy political opponents, to prevent democracy and to completely subvert the rule of law. They make a mockery of ‘civilization’ because they provide a virtually limitless loophole for violating the rule of law – governments and police forces can at any time use these laws to detain any person without reason.
The terrorist attack on September 11 in New York shocked and galvanised the world into a new "national security angst" syndrome, and is being used to justify, defend and expand national security laws in Asia. This 21st century revival of the "national security" – now dubbed "war against terrorism" - offensive has raised the concern among Asian human rights and civil organisations that any progress made in the democratising efforts of the last two decades will be seriously set back , if not undone completely.
This disturbing trend undermines the entire basis of attempts by the people to improve human rights and democracy in Asian countries. This is the backdrop against which 50 activists, lawyers, researchers, human rights advocates from around Asia gathered together in Nakhon Nayok from 23-25 August 2002 to reflect on, analyse the causes and consequences, of this new scenario in Asia and devise counter-strategies.
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