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International Forum >> The Democracy Forum for East Asia>> Inaugural Conference
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SESSION IV Role of Civic Organizations For many countries in East Asia, the rise of civic organizations and NGOs has been one of the most startling developments since the transition from authoritarianism to democracy. In fact, the development of democracy and the formation of NGOs have been inextricably linked to one another from their inception. Civic organizations have often been at the forefront of the political struggle against authoritarian rule while, at the same time, the process of democratization has stimulated the growth of NGOs. Civic organizations have often successfully led the struggle to end authoritarian rule, thereby playing a crucial role in establishing democracy. In Korea, civic organizations organized blue-collar workers, farmers, and poor urban dwellers, holding mass rallies in an effort to topple the authoritarian regime and spur the development of democracy. Despite the authoritarian government's efforts to repress such organizations, a mass civil movement forced the authoritarian regime to relinquish power and hold a free presidential election in 1987. The role of civic organizations in the democratization movement has also been instrumental in establishing democracy in the Philippines and Thailand and is currently becoming evident in Malaysia and especially Indonesia. The process of democratization has in turn led to a remarkable growth in the number of NGOs and the scope and the diversity of their activities throughout the region. Democracy has encouraged the growth of NGOs not only by fostering autonomy but also by ensuring constitutional guarantees such as freedom of expression and association. Just as civic organizations have been at the vanguard of the movement towards democracy, they are now at the forefront of wider social reform movements. In the Philippines, NGOs have been actively working with low-income and other disadvantaged social groups to wipe out poverty and encourage sustainable development. Similarly, Indonesian NGOs, which have been at the forefront of the pro-democracy movement for most of the decade, are working with students in human rights and anti-corruption campaigns, as well as forming citizen education and election watchdog groups. More recently, frustrated by traditional tactics of engaging the government through public pressure and lobbying, civic organizations have started to participate more directly in the political process. In the Philippines, social movement groups and NGOs have directly engaged the state on issues of governance and democratization. Some have even worked on campaigns for particular candidates in local and national elections. Even more significant, some have joined together to form political parties, such as the Akbayan (Citizen's Action Party). This trend towards direct political participation, which is quite pronounced in the Philippines, is also evident in Thailand and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. In Malaysia, civic organizations have taken up the cause of Anwar Ibrahim (the former Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, who broke with Prime Minister Mahathir and is now in prison), and are active in the opposition party led by his wife. Since the restoration of democracy in 1987, Korea has also seen a rapid increase in the number of NGOs actively involved in social reform and civic movements. Korean NGOs have focused their activities on furthering democracy and socioeconomic justice. Specifically, they aim to rid government of corruption, monitor campaign practices and the actions of the National Assembly, urge reforms on taxation and the practices of Korean business conglomerates, and advocate the expansion of the social welfare system. They have also sought to evaluate government policy proposals and mediate conflict between interest groups, such as the disagreement over medical jurisdiction between pharmacists, practitioners of oriental medicine, and doctors. The proliferation of Korean NGOs at all levels - national, regional, and local - and the sheer diversity of the issues they deal with are proof of the profound impact democracy has had on Korean society. Like NGOs in the rest of East Asia, Korean NGOs are also directly involving themselves in the political process. Kim Dae-jung's administration has been particularly receptive to issues raised by civic organizations, inviting NGO representatives to become members of various government committees to draft policy proposals on various reform issues. In addition to increasing the opportunities for NGO participation in policy-making, the government has allotted public funds to support various employment projects under the direction of NGOs in the wake of the economic crisis. In order to ensure fairness and transparency, NGOs have proposed an independent committee to oversee government spending on NGO-sponsored projects. The growing ties between NGOs and the current administration, however, are raising concerns within the civic community that NGOs may be losing their independence. While there are broad similarities in the historical role of civic organizations throughout East Asia in terms of their goals and methods, one country in particular stands out as an exception - Cambodia. With decades of war and Khmer Rouge genocide behind it, the fabric of Cambodian society has unraveled, leading to greed, corruption, suspicion and fear, as well as the reliance on force and violence to settle conflicts. A culture of war has supplanted a culture of peace. Consequently, the challenges facing civil society are unlike those of any other country in the region. One of the primary goals of civil society in Cambodia is to rebuild the foundations of its social structure. Civic organizations must revive traditional cultural values embodied in the religious beliefs of Buddhism to effect a change in the psychological outlook of the Cambodian people. They must support efforts towards concrete reconciliation, changing people's attitudes and behavior, for example, by teaching human rights, peace, democracy, and non-violence. The Cambodian Institute of Human Rights (CIHR) is a major proponent of this kind of education and training. Along with programs designed to change the outlook of the people, grassroots projects are needed to improve the material life of ordinary individuals. An important project underway to better their conditions is the United Nations Development Program/Cambodia Area Rehabilitation and Regeneration Project (UNDP/CARERE), which has helped to pioneer Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) techniques to plan and implement development projects in this area. Cambodian NGOs must continue to carry out the daunting task of cultural renewal and democratization as part of a broader goal of national development. NGOs in East Asia have been instrumental in establishing democracy, in turn creating conditions favorable to the growth of civic organizations. Not only have they been at the forefront of social and economic reform, but they have also pushed for political reform aimed at strengthening and consolidating democracy. However, in order to carry out these reforms more effectively, NGOs have sought to become more directly involved in the political process, and this augurs well for the continuing process of democratization of these societies. In promoting democratization, the actions of NGOs have helped break down the hierarchical boundaries between the governors and the governed by challenging the actions of government, which in the past has so easily intimidated citizens into submission. This may be the most enduring legacy of the East Asian movement towards greater democracy. Over the last decade, the influence of civil society in Asia has grown immeasurably against challenging odds, giving rise to a number of issues. First, civil society is still relatively weak within the region and must be strengthened by increasing NGO membership and institutionalizing broader NGO participation in the political process. Second, NGOs and civic groups must enhance their autonomy by diversifying their sources of funding. Third, NGOs must develop transparent and accountable structures, becoming better institutionalized themselves. Finally, it is important for components of civil society to work together - civic organizations should collaborate to develop common agendas. In fact, the development of democracy and the formation of NGOs have been inextricably linked to one another from their inception. Civic organizations have often been at the forefront of the political struggle against authoritarian rule while, at the same time, the process of democratization has stimulated the growth of NGOs. The proliferation of Korean NGOs at all levels - national, regional, and local and the sheer diversity of the issues they deal with are proof of the profound impact democracy has had on Korean society. page11 In promoting democratization, the actions of NGOs have helped break down the hierarchical boundaries between the governors and the governed by challenging the actions of government, which in the past has so easily intimidated citizens into submission. This may be the most enduring legacy of the |
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