The Fremantle Declaration
On this the ninth day of nineteen ninety nine the Executive of the Asia Pacific Democrat Youth declares its commitment to the following principles.
1 DEMOCRACY
The APD Youth urges Burma, Mainland China and North Korea to use the final year before the third millenium to give their citizens the freedoms enjoyed in democratic states across the globe. The APD Youth believes it is totally unacceptable that countries within the region continue to deny their citizens basic democratic rights and economic and social freedoms. The APD Youth furthermore declares its intention to use 1999 to pursue undemocratic regimes within the Asia Pacific region through the IYDU's Freedom 2000 campaign.
The APD Youth declares its complete opposition to recent economic policy decisions taken by the Malaysian Prime Minister. The APD Youth believes that economic and political freedoms go hand in hand and that attempts to restrict economic freedoms also limit the political freedoms of individual citizens.
The APD Youth declares its support for a shift towards greater democratisation and political reforms in Indonesia, first heralded by former President Mr Soeharto and subsequently endorsed by President Dr Habibie, in particular we endorse efforts to increase inter-party competition and pluralism, to increase competitive practices in the awarding of government contracts, and to increase appointments of policy experts to Cabinet.
2 FREEDOM AND THE INDIVIDUAL
The APD Youth declares its abhorrence at all forms of slavery, in particular the international trade in sex slaves and child sex slaves. Further we call for the highest sanctions under law for intentional organisers of this trade, including those not directly involved in the crimes of assault and deprivation of liberty.
3 THE RULE OF LAW
The APD Youth calls for all countries in the Asia Pacific to restrict the awarding of benefit assistance to only those who cannot help themselves, without regard to race or ethnicity, except where a contractual agreement has been signed between a given country and nations of people claiming special treatment.
The APD Youth recall the ironic words of President Clinton which he directed against Saddam Hussein: "If you act recklessly, you will pay a heavy price", and we call for a standard of justice in countries throughout the Asia Pacific that places no politician above the rule of law.
The APD Youth expresses its concern about the circumstances surrounding the trial of Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Further we declare our opposition to the practices of detention without certainty of trial, fabrication of evidence, the presumption of guilt, and we reject the use of security forces without judicial warrant to defeat political opponents.
The APD Youth urges the government of the United Kingdom to act within international law and transfer General Pinochet into the hands of the Chilean government to allow the Chilean people to deal with their past under the laws of their land.
4 PRIVATE PROPERTY AND ENTERPRISE
The APD Youth urges all countries of the Asia Pacific region to end the Asian Economic Crisis sooner by fast-tracking the dismantling of domestic barriers to international free trade, or by setting clear deadlines for trade liberalisation in product markets where no targets exist. We urge governments of the region to make it easier, not harder to conduct international trade in goods, services, finance and business migration. Furthermore the APD Youth rejects any suggestion that protectionist trade policies are advantageous to the countries which adopt them.
The APD Youth calls for all countries of the Asia Pacific to permit parallel importing thereby allowing competition in the distribution of copyrighted material, while retaining protection on the reproduction of copyrighted material.
The APD Youth calls for all countries in the Asia Pacific to abolish industry subsidies, bounties and other forms of corporate welfare and further calls for a campaign of public education about the inequitable, distortionary and growth-destroying effects of corporate welfare. We believe that sound investment ideas will attract private sector capital.
This declaration was signed in Fremantle on the 9th of January 1999 by:
* Daniel Clode (Chairman)
* Daniel Gordon (First Vice-Chairman)
* Melissa Roberts (Executive Secretary)
* Carl Bates (Co-opted Executive Member)