International Political Dialogue
Regional Office South Asia
Regional Director: Dr. René Klaff, New Delihi
Regional Director: Dr. René Klaff, New Delihi
For more information on the Regional Office
South Asia please visit their homepage
www.southasia.fnst.org
english
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For Freedom and Responsibility in South Asia
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation has, for many years, strived with its partner organisations to further the development of freedom and responsibility in the civil societies of the South East Asia region. Central topics are, apart from the sustainable strengthening of human rights and an active participation by the citizens, economic development as well as conflict prevention and management.
Economic Integration and Conflict Management in South Asia
Of special importance are more economic freedom, the support of small and medium-sized companies as well as economic integration within the region. These are the tasks of the Foundation's regional offices and their partners in the national chambers of trade, in their umbrella organisation, the South Asian Association for Regional Co-Operation (SAARC) and in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).
At the "SAARC Business Leaders Conclave" in New Delhi, leading south Asian entrepreneurs and politicians as well as internationally renowned economists analysed, during two intensive conference days, the chances and challenges that South Asian markets face through globalisation.
Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, who opened the conference, underlined the benefit and the necessity of a liberal economic policy. He spoke out for a reduction in trade barriers throughout the region and a further opening towards international markets by South Asian countries. Taking the free trade agreement between India and Sri Lanka as an example, he demonstrated the benefits of intensive trade, even with such a difference in size of the two economies involved.
Singh furthermore emphasised the interaction between economic co-operation and political stability: the more intense the economic ties within a region, the less potential for conflict between the partners.
Thus the prime minister took up one of the essential debate lines of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation whose second focal issue in the region is conflict prevention and conflict management.
Viewing the Kashmir conflict, which doesn't only affect the relationship between India and Pakistan but influences the entire region, the Foundation along with its partners opened new channels of dialogue and communication in civil society in the "Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation".
Local Government Politics as the Basis for the Democratic Participation of Citizens
For many years the support of citizens' participation has been at the centre of work and planning in the Foundation's Pakistan office. The Liberal Forum Pakistan (LFP) has in this context contributed valuable work. Today 25 associations are established throughout the country. Citizens and regional politicians are regularly invited to exchange experience and opinion and have, in diverse forums, debated since the 2001 local elections about concrete political approaches and their implementation in local government.
The Foundation's work was complemented by numerous publications on electoral law, selecting candidates, election monitoring and on improving turnout and by numerous seminars for the candidates. A positive result of all these activities was the standing of over 100 candidates for the elections on town, local and regional levels at which 39 LFP members were successful.
By this the liberals were able to offer a promising alternative to the common practice of nominating candidates only from the governing and established opposition parties.
In general the claim to hand over political power to the provinces and districts has only been half-heartedly implemented in Pakistan. Even though the recent elections were both structurally and organisationally free, they were staged in a climate of electoral manipulation, nepotism and bribery. All the more important is the work on citizens' participation that both the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and the Liberal Forum engage in.
Solidarity with the Tsunami Victims in Sri Lanka and India
After the flood catastrophe in Asia at the end of 2004 the Foundation and its partner organisations in Sri Lanka and India took on a large measure of responsibility and could, by way of numerous measures of active citizens' participation, make a sustainable contribution to lessen the hardships. Civil society, played an especially important role in Sri Lanka, marked for decades by civil war and ethnic conflicts.
The partner organisations "People's Watch Tamil Nadu" and the "TANSTIA-FNF Service Centre" in Southern India as well as the "Small and Medium Enterprise Developers" and the "Institute for Democracy and Leadership" in Sri Lanka were involved in multiple rescue operations immediately after the flood. Apart from the organisation and distribution of food, clothes and blankets they quickly organised the necessary measures for the psychological support of traumatised victims.
In the period of reconstruction, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation centred above all on the young and weak victims. A minimum of normality had to be restored for the children in Sri Lanka who through the loss of their families and their social structures also lost all perspectives for the future.
By way of the financial help supplied by the Foundation - 50% from its own budget and 50% from donations - the regional partners "Institute for Democracy and Leadership" and "Business Development Services" were able to support the rebuilding of two schools and the supply of food, books, games and sports facilities as well as the traditional school uniforms. In one of the new schools even a modern computer room was installed.
Economic Integration and Conflict Management in South Asia
Of special importance are more economic freedom, the support of small and medium-sized companies as well as economic integration within the region. These are the tasks of the Foundation's regional offices and their partners in the national chambers of trade, in their umbrella organisation, the South Asian Association for Regional Co-Operation (SAARC) and in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).
At the "SAARC Business Leaders Conclave" in New Delhi, leading south Asian entrepreneurs and politicians as well as internationally renowned economists analysed, during two intensive conference days, the chances and challenges that South Asian markets face through globalisation.
Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, who opened the conference, underlined the benefit and the necessity of a liberal economic policy. He spoke out for a reduction in trade barriers throughout the region and a further opening towards international markets by South Asian countries. Taking the free trade agreement between India and Sri Lanka as an example, he demonstrated the benefits of intensive trade, even with such a difference in size of the two economies involved.
Singh furthermore emphasised the interaction between economic co-operation and political stability: the more intense the economic ties within a region, the less potential for conflict between the partners.
Thus the prime minister took up one of the essential debate lines of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation whose second focal issue in the region is conflict prevention and conflict management.
Viewing the Kashmir conflict, which doesn't only affect the relationship between India and Pakistan but influences the entire region, the Foundation along with its partners opened new channels of dialogue and communication in civil society in the "Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation".
Local Government Politics as the Basis for the Democratic Participation of Citizens
For many years the support of citizens' participation has been at the centre of work and planning in the Foundation's Pakistan office. The Liberal Forum Pakistan (LFP) has in this context contributed valuable work. Today 25 associations are established throughout the country. Citizens and regional politicians are regularly invited to exchange experience and opinion and have, in diverse forums, debated since the 2001 local elections about concrete political approaches and their implementation in local government.
The Foundation's work was complemented by numerous publications on electoral law, selecting candidates, election monitoring and on improving turnout and by numerous seminars for the candidates. A positive result of all these activities was the standing of over 100 candidates for the elections on town, local and regional levels at which 39 LFP members were successful.
By this the liberals were able to offer a promising alternative to the common practice of nominating candidates only from the governing and established opposition parties.
In general the claim to hand over political power to the provinces and districts has only been half-heartedly implemented in Pakistan. Even though the recent elections were both structurally and organisationally free, they were staged in a climate of electoral manipulation, nepotism and bribery. All the more important is the work on citizens' participation that both the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and the Liberal Forum engage in.
Solidarity with the Tsunami Victims in Sri Lanka and India
After the flood catastrophe in Asia at the end of 2004 the Foundation and its partner organisations in Sri Lanka and India took on a large measure of responsibility and could, by way of numerous measures of active citizens' participation, make a sustainable contribution to lessen the hardships. Civil society, played an especially important role in Sri Lanka, marked for decades by civil war and ethnic conflicts.
The partner organisations "People's Watch Tamil Nadu" and the "TANSTIA-FNF Service Centre" in Southern India as well as the "Small and Medium Enterprise Developers" and the "Institute for Democracy and Leadership" in Sri Lanka were involved in multiple rescue operations immediately after the flood. Apart from the organisation and distribution of food, clothes and blankets they quickly organised the necessary measures for the psychological support of traumatised victims.
In the period of reconstruction, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation centred above all on the young and weak victims. A minimum of normality had to be restored for the children in Sri Lanka who through the loss of their families and their social structures also lost all perspectives for the future.
By way of the financial help supplied by the Foundation - 50% from its own budget and 50% from donations - the regional partners "Institute for Democracy and Leadership" and "Business Development Services" were able to support the rebuilding of two schools and the supply of food, books, games and sports facilities as well as the traditional school uniforms. In one of the new schools even a modern computer room was installed.
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