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A
Consultation of NGOs from South Asia on the use of Multimedia and
Information Technology for Poverty Eradication was organised by
South Asia Pacific Network Association (SAPNA), Sri Lanka, and Asian
Media Information Communication Centre, Singapore, at Badhkal,
Haryana, India, from September 29 to October 1, 1997. SAPNA is an
independent network of South Asians committed to the Report of the
independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation (1992) and
the Dhaka Consensus on Eradication of Poverty in South Asia (1993)
and follow up on them.
Some
members in the network especially People First from India, have been
expressing that democracy based on colonial institutions and
centralised practices is primarily responsible for the social,
economic and environmental degradation faced in South Asia. To
deliberate on this in depth, a special Consultation on Democracy in
South Asia was held on October 2, 1997.
After
serious deliberation, the consultation concluded that the
exploitative centralised democracy in South Asia is indeed
responsible for the massive social degradation and tension in the
region. Gandhi advocated a true people’s democracy which has great
similarity with the best amongst the democracies, notably the
Swiss. Gandhi added some special features for realising social
justice and equity. This participants stressed on the urgency for
adoption of Gandhi’s concepts combined with the best practices
tested in mature democracies of the world.
Since the
elected representatives having acquired centralised colonial power
have a vested interested in perpetuating the status quo, the
participants agreed that the sovereign people themselves will have
to take command and institute reforms through referendum. The
people have certain intrinsic sovereign rights in democracies.
These are right to information, consultation, participation and
referendum. Even after 50 years of independence, the governments in
South Asia have not instituted effective transparency laws, a clear
violation of the sovereign rights of the people.
People
First has proposed Sovereign Rights Commissions which would oversee
that the sovereign rights of the people are properly instituted and
not violated. The participants agreed that such a commission will
be a key institution of twenty-first century democracy
—- as important as an
independent judiciary, audit or press. It was also agreed that if
governments refused to institute such commissions, superior court
may be approached for a writ to institute them through referendum.
Once they are instituted, it will be easy for the sovereign people
to revamp their democracies suitably through referendum.
Referendum is the supreme sovereign right of the people in
democracies.
Today,
basic information is being denied to the people and is used to abuse
authority. The consultation resolved that kiosks set up by
entrepreneurs for providing telephone and fax services may be
encouraged to be upgraded as Citizen Information Centres (CICs) with
email and internet facilities.
It should
be mandated that all public information shall be accessible by the
public except that which is classified confidential or secret and,
that too, for a specified period in consultation with the
concerned Sovereign Rights Commission. It should also be
incumbent on all public offices to make it available to CICs. The
CICs would then provide it to the public at a competitive price. The
internet facility will enable instant transmittal of information
from one location to another. The CICs can also disseminate
development information available from all over the world on the
internet.
The
Declaration has been endorsed by representatives from Sri Lanka and
India. It is now being circulated for endorsement by NGOs and
professionals from the remaining countries in South Asia.
The civil society is now totally disillusioned by the poverty,
hatred and corruption being perpetrated by the ambitious centralised
power politics in the region. It requests the political leaders of
the countries in South Asia to dwell on the issues and expeditiously
establish peace and prosperity in the region.
q
Susil Sirivardhana
SK Sharma
SAPNA, Sri, Lanka
People First
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