In his quest to explore Asia’s ascendancy in the wake of the so-called Fourth Wave of Democratization, former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia and opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim shared his thoughts on the state of democracy in Asia in a lecture held at University of the Philippines, Diliman last January 29 organized by the Institut Kajian Dasar and Japan-based Sasakawa Peace Foundation in cooperation with the UP College of Law.

Dubbed as “ASIAN REINAISSANCE AND THE FOURTH WAVE OF DEMOCRATIZATION” the lecture was attended by students coming from different universities, law professors, media, and members of civil society organizations in the Philippines.

A FORUM on international solidarity held Friday opened talks about the struggle of the Moro people for self-determination.

Representatives of civil society groups in and out of the country talked on the struggles of Timor-Leste, West Papua, and the Bangsamoro at the Ateneo de Davao University Jacinto campus.

The Davao-based regional advocacy and solidarity NGO, Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) celebrates its 21st anniversary today gratified with a strengthened belief in the power of dialogue to resolve conflicts. This amidst the recent move of the Government of the Republic of the Philppines and the Moro Islamic National Liberation Front (MILF) to reconvene and prepare for a probable resumption of talks. A similar announcement was also made by the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) to reconvene their own 4-year stalled talks.

“We are very optimistic that the mechanism of dialogue as an instrument of conflict prevention and peace building will be restored to utility and maximized to the hilt. . We count our blessings”, stated Executive Director Gus Miclat in a radio interview on the eve of IID’s anniversary on the twin peace talks resumption announcements.

Philippine women activists, youth join regional demand for Aung San Suu Kyi's release; hold candlelight vigil in...

The Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), the premier regional advocacy NGO based in Davao City, is proposing Timor Leste President and Nobel Peace Laureate Jose Ramos-Horta to help mediate in the Mindanao peace process.

President Horta has meanwhile intimated to Gus Miclat, IID Executive Director, that he is willing to help “only if” both the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) invite him. Miclat has meanwhile relayed to both the government and MILF IID’s proposal. Both parties have yet to make their response.

Timor-Leste President and Nobel Laureate Jose Ramos-Horta paid tribute to the Davao-based regional advocacy institution, Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) on its 20th anniversary in a speech at the University of the Philippines in Diliman recently.

Affirming that IID’s work helped in eventually galvanizing support for the Timorese cause in the region, Horta challenged IID to continue with its creative and bold initiatives in advocating peaceful and constant dialogue among peoples in conflict.

DAVAO CITY—Four international personalities of the World Forum for Democratization in Asia (WFDA) will arrive in Davao City on Sunday, August 24, for a Solidarity Mission to Mindanao from August 25-30 which is co-organized by the Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) and Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC)-Southeast Asia.

Aiming to encourage public debate on the contentious Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the
Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), Mindanao Peace Weavers (MPW) and the University of the Philippines College of Law held a public forum yesterday at Malcolm Hall in UP Diliman.

On the start of the Beijing Olympics yesterday, young members of progressive groups marched towards the Chinese Consular Office in Cebu and held a symbolic silent protest against China’s alleged human rights violations against its own people as well as the people of Burma (Myanmar) and Tibet.

Members of Akbayan Party and Movement for the Advancement of Student Power (MASP) wore masks bearing the slogan “Stop Human Rights Violation to address the alleged filthiness of air in Beijing which reflects its government’s disregard to their citizens’ rights.”

HOURS before the grand opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a militant youth group held a silent protest in front of the Chinese Consular Office in Cebu City.

“This is a symbolic protest against the Beijing Olympics,” said Ernie Edralin, spokesperson of Akbayan Youth.

Protesters carried torches symbolizing the Olympic Torch and wore masks in a statement against the heavy air pollution in China.

MANILA (August 5) – “Progress without freedom is a meaningless achievement.” Thus wrote Aries B. Espinosa as he added his message and photo to the 8888 Faces photo petition to free Daw Aung San Suu Kyii and all political prisoners in Burma. He is one of the more than 200 biking enthusiasts that traversed some 78 kilometers around Metro Manila last August 3 to call public attention to the human rights situation in China. The Bike for Rights activity was organized by Amnesty International – Pilipinas.

MANILA, Philippines: Democracy is still possible in Myanmar but only if moderates take control of the military and work with the opposition and cooperate with the international community, a political exile said here Friday.

But Win Min, a lecturer at Thailand’s Chang Mai University and a foreign affairs specialist, said he sees no political change in his homeland as long as junta chief Senior Gen. Than Shwe remains in power.

MAKATI CITY, June 19 — The serenade was led by Teatro Pabrika as more than 50 members of the Free Burma Coalition – Philippines (FBC-Phils) marched towards the SPDC Myanmar Embassy in Makati City to mark the 63rd Birthday of democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma Women’s Day. In front of the march were women carrying a portrait of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, flowers and mock birthday gift boxes with her portrait and a slogan that says “Release Her.”

Manila–“Malaysia should stay put”. Thus said former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim responding to an appeal by the Mindanao Peaceweavers (MPW) for him to assist in the peace talks in Mindanao. Ibrahim’s comments on the reported pullout of the Malaysian contingent in the International Monitoring Team (IMT) in Mindanao was on MPW’s specific request for him to “help us (MPW) convince your government to please continue to stay on as the leader of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) in Mindanao and to be in general patient with our peace process” . In an exclusive interview with Mindanews yesterday, Ibrahim also said that the quest and accompaniment for peace must be paramount even if there may have been compelling reasons for Kuala Lumpur to think about pulling out as the peace talks continue to drag and some initial agreements on the framework of the talks were reneged.

Since the 9/11 attacks in New York and the pursuit of the global war on terror, security agendas including counter-terrorism measures have been taking primacy internationally. A major repercussion is that civil society organizations worldwide are experiencing a shrinking of operational space within which to achieve their goals and implement development mission. It has also become evident that in many cases, the rationale and international resource support for the global war on terror is being used to initiate or further expand various political, policy, intelligence and military instruments in the name of national security but with negative impacts on civil liberties and sustainable development.

(Chiba, Japan)- A huge global conference on peace ended here today affirming support for the Mindanao peace process and echoing civil society calls for the Malaysian International Monitoring Team contingent to stay on.

The Global Article 9 Conference to Abolish War accepted a resolution submitted by its lone guest from Mindanao which also sought support for the active participation of civil society and the grassroots in any peace process. The resolution called on all third party government facilitators, mediators, brokers and negotiators to accompany any peace process until a lasting agreement is reached.