by Nirmala Carvalho

These are the some of the goals 5th Bali Democracy Forum (8-9 November). Some 1,200 delegates are expected, including representatives of civil society groups as well as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. For Indian activist Lenin Raghuvanshi, "castes, patriarchy and communal thinking hinder the advancement of democratic principles" in the world.

Mumbai (AsiaNews) - The 5^th Bali Democracy Forum, a two-day meeting that opens tomorrow, will focus on developing regional and international cooperation to promote peace and democracy through dialogue and sharing among the nations of the Asia-Pacific region.

Some 1, 200 delegates are expected on the Indonesian island of Bali, including Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak. Despite criticism, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will attend as well, ostensibly to break his country's isolation.

Delegates from 21 NGOs will also be present, people like Lenin Raghuvanshi, director of the People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) in Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh, India).

Raghuvanshi spoke at one of the conferences held on the sidelines of the forum on 'Advancing Substantive Democracy in Asia: The Roles of Civil Society and Democratic Governance,' which was held on Monday and Tuesday.

For him, "castes, patriarchy and communal thinking" are the most urgent concerns that "hinder the advancement of democratic principles at the global level."

Improving governance means "starting and ending with the people." At the same time, "Great efforts are needed to promote popular sovereignty in a violence-free Asia on the basis of democratic values and structures."

In India and across South Asia, the main cause of violence is a "caste mindset," a "feudal remnant that is extremely dangerous for effective and global democratic governance" because it works "against international peace and security, economic development and effective enjoyment of human rights."

At the Bali democracy Forum, Raghuvanshi and representatives of other civil society groups will present a joint statement, based on nine points.

General recommendations:

1.      to institutionalize full and meaningful participation of civil society in the Bali Democracy Forum;

2.      to respect and protect the exercise of fundamental freedoms of expression, association and assembly, in light of increasing trends of the misuse of the Law and Judiciary to silence and oppress human rights defenders, and marginalised communities;

3.      to establish and strengthen independent and effective human rights protection mechanisms, both national and regional, with the capacity to receive and address complaints, and provide avenues for redress and remedies. National human rights institutions should comply with the Paris Principles.

On peace and security:

4.      to ensure that restrictions on human rights in the name of peace and security are not invoked without a legitimate basis under international human rights law and standards. In addition there are certain fundamental rights to human dignity that can never be derogated from under any circumstances;

5.      to ensure that the rule of law is respected at all times, and law enforcement officers undertake human rights training and education to ensure these outcomes;

6.      to ensure that victims and survivors of human rights violations are guaranteed the right to truth, justice and reparations;

7.      to formulate and implement policies towards the elimination of the threat of conflict among and between peoples and the renunciation of the use of force [in favour of the] peaceful settlement of disputes to bring peace in the region.

On economic development:

8.      to democratize economic decisions to ensure accountability and transparency in development aid and bi/multi-lateral trade agreements. This would ensure that the rights of affected communities, especially marginalised groups like indigenous peoples, and interests of local businesses and small/medium enterprises are not compromised. Participation must include 'free, prior and informed consent' (FPIC) to ensure equitable growth and redistribution of wealth;

9.      economic and social justice for work must go beyond rules and regulations for waged labour and include all work outside of the market, balance the inequalities between women and men, care work and industrial work, as well as protection for local communities and migrants' rights.

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