ROMULO AT DAVOS: SOUTHEAST ASIA UNITY COOPERATION KEY TO PREVENTING SPREAD OF EXTREMISM, 
PROMOTING MODERATION 

25 January 2007, Davos, Switzerland – Extremists and radical Muslims have failed to open a second front in Southeast Asia because the countries in the region stood united and are cooperating closely in promoting tolerance, acceptance and understanding. 

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo made this assertion today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, as lead speaker during the session “The Challenges of Moderate Islam in Southeast Asia”. 

This has been an important victory in the war against terror, as many religious extremists who have “erroneous and hateful interpretations of Islam” are the same ones who “foster senseless violence, death and terrorism,” the Secretary explained. 

With the Secretary on today’s panel were members of the academe, think-tanks and government.  Among the panelist were Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, Founder and Chairman of Cordoba Initiative, USA; Anwar Zainah, Executive Director Sisters in Islam, Malaysia; Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of Finance and State Enterprises Development of Indonesia; and Yusuf Wanandi, Member of the Board of Trustees and Senior Fellow of Indonesia’s Center for Strategic and International Studies. 

In his remarks, the Secretary said that the region’s success rests on its comprehensive response to the challenge posed by extremism and terrorism.  

This comprehensive approach, according to the Secretary, was a result of an early consensus in the region to band against extremism and terrorism.  Among the results of this consensus was the signing last week of a key initiative of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the ASEAN Convention on Counterterrorism, during the 12^th ASEAN Summit in Cebu. 

The panelists agreed that the comprehensive approach taken by the countries of Southeast Asia were critical to blunting the efforts of extremists to plant deep roots in the region. 

The Secretary said that the key elements of this comprehensive regional approach are: “promoting interfaith dialogue, addressing the economic and social issues that extremists exploit, and actively resolving conflicts that extremists seek to fuel.” 

In briefly discussing these three key elements of the region’s comprehensive approach in preventing the spread of extremism, the Secretary said that it is important to continue “to reinforce the ramparts that hold back the spread of extremism and to boldly move forward in bolstering the forces of moderation.” 

On promoting interfaith dialogue, an initiative of President Arroyo, the Secretary pointed out that the Philippines is actively promoting this not only at the regional level, but also at the local, national and global level.  He recalled that the President chaired the historic first UN Summit on Interfaith Dialogue during the 60^th UN General Assembly in New York in 2005. 

On addressing economic and social issues, the Secretary highlighted the fact that Southeast Asia is “committed to working together in addressing the economic and social issues that extremists have become adept at exploiting. This commitment was reiterated last week when our leaders adopted the Cebu Declaration Towards One Caring and Sharing Community.” Members of the panel were one in agreeing that it was important to address fundamental social and economic issues that extremists seek to exploit. 

On building peace, the Secretary made particular mention of the support of Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and the members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in the search for peace in the Southern Philippines, adding that “where there is peace, extremism can find no home.” 

On top of these key elements, he said that ASEAN is building a community that will reinforce the region’s “resilience, stability, and solidarity in addressing the terrorist and extremist threat.”   

“ASEAN is addressing religious issues in its vision to build a regional ASEAN Community by 2020.  This was particularly echoed by the 12^th ASEAN Summit’s theme of “One Caring and Sharing Community”.  Religious moderation in Southeast Asia benefits from and buttresses this progressive and inclusive regional vision,” the Secretary said. 

Southeast Asia has the political will, the cultural base, the resilient states, the progressive populations, the spirit of outward orientation, and the regional solidarity, which, Secretary Romulo said “combined, makes it conducive for moderation to flourish.”  

In concluding his remarks as lead speaker, that Secretary expressed confidence that “held fast by our common resolve, we will succeed in facing challenges to moderate Islam in Southeast Asia.” END

/jay

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