Inauguration Exhibition Touched By Nature by The Amazonian School of Arts 

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Inauguration Exhibition Touched By Nature by The Amazonian School of Arts 

By Roy Lie Atjam

The Hague, 16th August 2022. Ms Jacqueline Meier, Director of the Atrium City Hall, welcomed one and all to the Atrium, next, Mr Jan Van Zanen, Mayor of The Hague, expressed his gratitude for having such an exceptional exhibition in The Hague, the city of peace and justice.

Mr Jan Van Zanen, Mayor of The Hague.

The next speaker at the opening was Mr Jan Paul Buijs, Representative of the  Picaflores Foundation. The time was now for H.E. Ms Marisol Flavia Aguero Colunga, Ambassador of Peru, to inaugurate the exhibition, Touched by Nature by the Amazonian School of Arts. The exhibition is in cooperation with Picaflores Foundation and Atrium City Hall in The Hague.

Ambassador Marisol Flavia Guero Colunga delivered the following speech.

“It is an honor for the Embassy of Peru, in association with Picaflores Foundation and the Atrium City Hall, to welcome you to this unique exhibition of 18 painters of the Neo-Amazonian School of Art from the city of Pucallpa, Peru, exhibition organized to raise awareness of the little known and fragile ecosystem of the Cerrado Savanah, located in the Brazilian highlands, as well as of the Amazonian forest, which are interdependent.

I would like to thank Mister Jan van Zanen, for his kind words – I know that you keep precious memories from Peru in your heart-, as well as Miss Jacqueline Meir, for hosting this exhibition in the Atrium City Hall, an important forum of Cultural and Social Activities in The Hague. I also want to express my gratitude to Mister Jan Paul Buijs, Representative of Picaflores Foundation, for the organization of this wonderful exhibition, and to Mister Luc Vankrunkelsven, a prominent researcher on agricultural issues and author of several books on the Cerrado ecosystem, for joining us today.

In this short speech I would like to refer to the Peruvian Amazonian Forest and to the Peruvian painters participating in this exhibition.

62% of the Peruvian territory is covered by the Amazonian Forest, one of the most biologically diverse areas on the planet. Although there are still many zoological and botanical species to be discovered and scientifically classified, so far we know that we have there 15 thousand animal species and more than 20 thousand botanical species, including medicinal plants.

In order to properly preserve this natural wealth, the Peruvian government has established more than 50 protected natural areas in the Amazonian Forest, which amounts to 10% of the Peruvian territory.

Concerning the population, it is interesting to note that, despite having the lowest population density in Peru, which is only 8%, the Peruvian Amazonian forest is the home of 64 tribes that speak 44 languages appertaining to 19 different linguistic families.

It is within that rich context, that we found a marvelous group of artists from the Usko Ayar School of Art in the city of Pucallpa, founded by the shaman and visionary artist Pablo Amaringo. I refer to the painters of the Neo-Amazonian style. And I welcome the presence of Mrs. Mita Lozano, one outstanding representative of them. Through their art, whose origins date back to the Amazonian cave paintings, they introduce us to a universe where people live in harmony with animals, plants and rivers. Their paintings show their knowledge and traditions, and, even more importantly, they transmit a philosophy of respect to nature and the environment, raising awareness of the need to preserve the ecosystems of the Amazonian Forest and those related to them, such as the Cerrado Savannah.

For all this, I should express my warmest congratulations to the talented painters of Pucallpa that today share with us their beautiful art and wise philosophy.

Finally, I have to say that at the end of these presentations, we will be delighted to share with you Pisco Sour, the traditional Peruvian drink, as well as some Peruvian canapés.”

There was an undeniable festive atmosphere at the reception with a free flow of excellent Peruvian goodies. Members of the diplomatic community came out in strength, among them Ambassadors of Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Malta, Panama, Costa Rica and diplomats from Argentina, El Salvador, Chile, Poland, just to mention a few. Further friends of Picaflores came  from Brussels and Gent in Belgium, all attracted by the surpassing exhibition.

Byblos – the World’s Most Ancient Port

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Byblos – the World’s Most Ancient Port

Major winter exhibition at the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities

On 14 October 2022, the major exhibition ‘Byblos. The World’s Most Ancient Port’ will open at the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden (RMO; the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities).

The rich history of Byblos, a town situated on the coast of present-day Lebanon, began around 6500 BC with a simple fishing village that would grow into a prosperous city. Around 3000 BC, Byblos played an extraordinary role in the Mediterranean and Middle East as the world’s first international seaport, thanks to the trade in cedar wood.

Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans left their mark on the city. The exhibition will present around 500 highlights from museums including the National Museum of Beirut, the Louvre and the British Museum, bearing witness to this archaeological and cultural richness. From simple fish hooks, anchors and clay tablets to golden weapons, colourful gemstone jewellery, a Roman mosaic and a bronze statue of Heracles.

A key role is played by the kings, mythological heroes, merchants and fortune-seekers who visited and lived in Byblos. Particularly important were the city’s special ties with Egypt and the goddess known as the ‘Lady of Byblos’.

The exhibition will run until 12 March 2023. Information and ticket reservations are available at www.rmo.nl/byblos.

Millennia of world history and culture

For millennia, Byblos was the chief purveyor to the pharaohs and the most important trade hub in the Mediterranean. Byblos’ wealth arose 5,000 years ago through trade with Egypt, among others, in products of the cedar tree from the mountains behind the city. These trees were famous for their straight trunks, which could reach 40 metres in height.

The cedar wood and other precious materials from the Middle East, such as silver, wine, and oil found their way to Egypt from Byblos. Byblos received precious stones, gold, linen and elephant ivory in return from Egypt and subsequently traded them with cities in Mesopotamia.

Good administration was indispensable for trade on such a large scale. It thus comes as no surprise that the precursor of our alphabet was developed in Byblos.

Byblos bronze figurines © DGA Beirut

On display in Leiden

The exhibition is bringing together the most beautiful artefacts from Byblos. The display includes finds from the royal tombs and the temples of Byblos, figurines of gods and goddesses, richly decorated weapons and jewellery. The distinctive bronze figurines of warriors, gods and animals, of which some 1,700 have been found in Byblos, are especially striking. The exhibition is presented as a storybook, in which famous stories from Antiquity are set in the port, palaces and cedar forests of Byblos. For example, the Mesopotamian king Gilgamesh went to the Lebanese mountains to cut down cedar trees and the Egyptian goddess Isis brought her deceased lover Osiris back to life in Byblos.

The exhibition is presented as a succession of pop-ups with ships, cedar trees and mythological creatures, striking images in silhouette, and sets of drawings of famous stories. The ancient port city takes shape in large projected 3D reconstructions and drone shots of the excavated ruins, supplemented with historical photos of the first excavations in the early twentieth century. These days, the ancient city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Archaeological research is still ongoing. Finds from an elite burial complex recently excavated by the Lebanese Ministry of Culture/Directorate General of Antiquities and the Louvre will be on display in Leiden, with spectacular images of the excavation site.

‘Byblos’ is the fourth exhibition in the RMO-series on key cities of Antiquity, following Leiden’s crowd-pullers Petra (2013-2014), Carthage (2014-2015) and Nineveh (2017-2018).

Partnerships and acknowledgements

The exhibition was developed in partnership with the Lebanese Ministry of Culture/Directorate General of Antiquities. Through this partnership, the RMO is supporting the construction of a new archaeological museum and cultural centre at the historical site of Byblos.

This museum will open to the public in the spring of 2023. The exhibition was developed with the support of the Blockbusterfonds and the VriendenLoterij, with thanks to the Lebanese Embassy (The Hague), the Dutch Embassy (Beirut) and Labrys Reizen.

Extra

The exhibition is accompanied by a book for the general public (in Dutch, ISBN 978-94-6426-137-0, 145 pages, €24.95), a scholarly publication with articles by more than thirty international specialists (in English, ISBN 9789464261349, 280 pages, €50; €40 in RMO Museumshop), and an RMO Magazine (in Dutch, €3.50). There are also free audio tours for adults and children (Dutch/English), and a programme including guided tours, talks, extra (children’s) activities during the school holidays and an academic conference (to be held on 9 December 2022).

Philippine Independence Day Piano recital marks new beginning of Philippines’ Embassy in The Hague

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Philippine Independence Day Piano recital marks new beginning of Philippines’ Embassy in The Hague

2022 commemorates the 127th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence, to celebrate this happy occasion H.E. Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya treated the more than hundred guests to a piano recital at the first public event in the embassy after it had undergone extensive renovation. Under the guidance and leadership of the ambassador the embassy has been restored to its original 19th century esplendor.

Ambassador Malaya noted that “Filipinos are a most musically inclined people. We have in particular a strong choir tradition, perhaps on account of much singing in churches.

Highly notable Filipino musicians include Freddie Aguilar whose song “Anak” has been translated to many languages, including Dutch; Leah Salonga of Broadway; and the hyphenated ones among us, like Bruno Mars, the singer known as H.E.R. and the sensation in the recent Grammy Awards Night, the 19-year-old Olivia Rodrigo who stole everyone’s heart with her song “Driver’s License.”

Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya and Ms Mary Ann Morales.

The distinguished Filipino pianist, Dr. Victor Asuncion played six variations on ‘Mein Junges Leben hat ein End’ by the Dutch composer Jan Pietersz Sweelinck, pieces from Chopin and modern music. More importantly Asuncion treated the public to Filipino music, which in many aspects reflects the various traditions that have enriched Southeast Asian culture, notably Muslim, Spanish and American.

Before the recital Ambassador Malaya gave the attendees a rendering of the Filipino anthem but hugely impressed everyone by faultlessly playing the Wilhelmus van Nassouwe behind the grand piano.

Sir Anton Lutter,

Chapter commander of the Order of Knights of Rizal in The Hague, Sir Anton Lutter, KCR noted that “The Filippino-Dutch relations are as old as the United East India Company (VOC), thus since the early sixteen hundreds when the ships Mauritius and the Eendracht anchored at the Bay of Albay in October 1600. More then 250 years later Philippines’ national hero Jose Rizal read the Max Havelaar written by Multatuli in 1860”.

In relation to The Philippines embassy becoming chair of the ASEAN Committee in The Hague, Lutter mentioned that “Jose Rizal’s influence is also considered part of ASEAN tradition up until now. Many of ASEAN independency leaders have mentioned being influenced by his writings. This is not surprising since the central theme of Dr. Rizal’s books is his aspiration for the freedom of the person and his concern for human dignity. His message is a universal message which still rings true in the 21st century”.

Among the many guests were representatives from the diplomatic corps, Dutch government officials and Filipino-Dutch community leaders. Amongst them Saskia de Lang who until recently was Ambassadors Malaya counterpart in Manila, as the Netherlands Ambassador to The Philippines and her successor Marielle Geraedts, Director General Fernando Arias of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and Secretary-General Marcin Czepelak of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

All photos courtesy Embassy of Th Philippines in The Hague.

Montenegro government falls over ties with Serbian Orthodox Church

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Montenegro government falls over ties with Serbian Orthodox Church

Euronews (21.08.2022) – https://bit.ly/3T9TkPu – The Montenegrin government fell in a no-confidence vote early Saturday that followed a rift over relations with the powerful Serbian Orthodox Church.

Lawmakers voted 50-1 to oust the government of Prime Minister Dritan Abazović just weeks after he signed an agreement regulating the position of the church in Montenegro.

The issue is sensitive for many in the small Balkan nation of 620,000 people that split from its much bigger neighbour Serbia in 2006. The Serbian Orthodox Church, or SOC, enjoys the biggest following in Montenegro, but the nation is divided over the church’s dominant role and the country’s ties to Serbia.

Critics have argued there was no need for a special deal with the SOC separate from other religious communities. Pro-Western groups in Montenegro also have described the agreement as a tool for Serbia and Russia to increase their influence in Montenegro amid the war in Ukraine.

Abazović has defended the agreement as the way to put behind the long-standing church dispute over its property and other rights in Montenegro and focus on other important issues.

It was not immediately clear whether the fall of the government would lead to snap parliamentary elections or if the parties would try to form a new governing coalition.

Political bickering in Montenegro has blocked progress toward integration into the European Union. In 2017, Montenegro defied Russia, with whom the country had strong economic ties in past decades, to become a member of NATO.

Religious issues, which are very sensitive in the small Adriatic country that became independent from Serbia in 2006, are one of the main reasons for the fall of the last two governments.

A third of the 620,000 inhabitants identify themselves as Serbs, and some nationalists deny Montenegrins a separate identity. 

The SOC is the dominant religious institution — along with a minority Montenegrin Orthodox Church not recognised by the Orthodox world — but its opponents accuse it of serving Belgrade’s interests.

Bangladesh National Day of Mouring 

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Bangladesh National Day of Mouring 

By Roy Lie Atjam

The Hague August 15 2022. H.E. Mr. Riaz Hamidullah,  Ambassador of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in the Netherlands observed a solemn National Day of Mourning.

This year is the 47th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of the  Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, whom stood for secularism, pluralism, murdered at the age of 55 years. It is, therefore, appropriate to solemnly  pay deep respect. On the program was also the screening of  “Hasina- A Daughters Tale” a documentary movie.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cautions her  people of possible repetition of 1975 carnage. In a newspaper interview with The Economic Times on 21 Aug.2022, Hasina stated, “More attacks may come. The August 15, 1975 attack was carried out when Bangabandhu started the country’s development. Today, Bangladesh became a developing nation and is heading towards becoming a developed one – those who don’t like this, will not sit idle, they will attack – so be alert about this,” Sheikh Hasina said.”

The National Memorial was attended by Ambassadors, among them Costa Rica, Philippines, diplomats from Belarus and others.

Drs. Jan Pronk, delivering keynote speech.

Drs. Jan Pronk, former Dutch Minister of Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade (1973-77, 1989-98), delivered the keynote address. A  media release by the Bangladesh Mission stated the following.

Veteran Dutch politician Jan Pronk shed light on Bangladesh’s development, independence struggle and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s outstanding leadership in the 70s in the commemorative event by the Bangladesh Embassy to the Netherlands organised at The Humanity Hub in The Hague.

Bangladesh National Day of Mouring – The Hague 2022.

He also recalled his spirited interaction with Bangabandhu in Dhaka in 1973; and lauded leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Pronk was Dutch Minister of Development Cooperation & Foreign Trade for two terms (1973-77, 1989-98). He played a key role in augmenting development cooperation to Bangladesh from the Netherlands and Europe as a whole (EEE) immediately following Bangladesh’s independence.

In the event, he released e-version of the Dutch edition of Bangabandhu’s Unfinished Memoirs on 150 e-book sites and online markets. From today, Dutch-speaking people worldwide can buy the Dutch version for just €4.95.

Ambassador and spouse, Sazia Ahmed placing a flower bouquet near images of the Father of the Nation.

After translating and printing the Dutch version (hard copy) in March 2021, Bangladesh Embassy took steps this innovative initiative and realised in one year. This will now be the only digital version of any edition of Bangabandhu’s book, globally.

At the launch of the e-version of the Dutch edition, 4 Podcasts out of the Dutch edition were also made available which can be accessed at the Embassy’s website.

Afterwards, “Hasina- A Daughters Tale” was screened for the Ambassadors, diplomats and Dutch dignitaries present. Copies of the Dutch edition were presented to the guests as well.

15 August 2022 has been a day full of activities,  the National Day of Mourning, the screening of a documentary film and the launching of a book.

The Embassy Festival Presents the Best of 50 Countries

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The Embassy Festival Presents the Best of 50 Countries

An eclectic cultural melting pot

On Saturday the 3rd of September, The Hague – The city of peace and justice – shows its true spirit of bringing and working together over fifty nationalities, through sharing their finest foods, musicians and performers. With surprising and impressive artists like Lambert, The Breath, Wlodek Pawlik Trio and Sindicato Sonico.

Embassy Festival

The participating countries present their best at the free to visit Embassy Festival on the Lange Voorhout in the city centre. The variety of undiscovered foods, music and experiences is dazzling. At our Embassy Tour on Friday the 2nd of September you’ll be guided to the Embassies itself and exclusively invited to experience their hospitalities in house.

Three theme stages with great international performances

(more artist info online)

The River Stage presents a broad variety of classical, traditional and new music, lean back and enjoy Lambert and The Breath. As where The Mountain Stage program will make you dance with Sindicato Sonico and Zuco 103. Around the Creative Arena visitors will have a chance to devour dance, music and theatre from all over the world.

Embassy Festival

Learning by tasting

Taste the world as you walk past all the culinary delights that the embassies have prepared. Learn about the countries as you stroll through the international market.

Enlighten your senses as you are dazzled by world music and dance performances on our stages. Even your children are welcome to join and play at the kids compound.  

Embassy Festival

The Embassy Festival Tour

On Friday the 2nd of September is your opportunity to finally see the inside of an embassy! The Hague is full of embassies and many people have never seen the inside of some of these beautiful buildings before.

Six embassies (Estonia, Bolivia, Latvia, Rwanda, Czech Republic, Azerbaijan) from all over the city of The Hague will invite guests inside for an unforgettable experience. Limited tickets available.

Back to reality

After 2 years of having to adapt the festival to comply with the pandemic restrictions, Embassy festival 2022 will be back in its original format. An open and free event for everybody to attend. We invite you all to join in sharing your culture with the world and open up to meeting and understanding other cultures. 

Embassy Festival Participating Countries

In 2019 the festival welcomed 60.000 visitors from all ages. The cultural (music, dance, theatre etc.) and culinary richness of lots of different countries (more than 50) will transform the Lange Voorhout into a sea of culture, which will almost feel like a holiday itself. Expect to travel through countries such as Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Rep. Korea, Rwanda, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Ukraine, Vietnam and Yemen.

Embassy Festival

EMBASSY FESTIVAL

SATURDAY 3 SEPTEMBER | 12.00 – 20.00 HRS
LANGE VOORHOUT, THE HAGUE | FREE

EMBASSY TOUR

FRIDAY 2 SEPTEMBER | 18.00 – 22.00 HRS
LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE!

MORE INFORMATION ON THE FESTIVAL: WWW.EMBASSYFESTIVAL.COM

Indonesia Celebrates Hari Kemerdekaan – Independence Day

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Indonesia Celebrates Hari Kemerdekaan – Independence Day

By Roy Lie Atjam

The theme, “Pulih Lebih Cepat, Bangkit Lebih Kuat”  Recover Fast, Rise up Stronger!

The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in the Netherlands organised a flag-raising ceremony to celebrate its 77th anniversary of independence.

The ceremony was at the International Sekolah Indonesia in Wassenaar on 17th August 2022. Not even the inclement rain was able to dampen the enthusiasm of the patriots. Congratulations to H.E. Ambassador Mayerfas and the Indonesian people on this joyous day.

Scores of Indonesian nationals and people of Indonesian descent joined in the annual solemn flag hoisting ceremony, the enactments of the independence proclamation(proklamasi) and jollification afterwards.

Indonesian students paid tribute to their flag on the National Day celebrating Indonesia 77th anniversary of independence.

On the program was a captivating presentation of students outfitted in their immaculate white uniforms.

Another item on the program, Ambassador Mayerfas, conferred distinctions and awards on individuals who have rendered supplementary service to Indonesia.

Independence Day celebration 2022 has been an eventful-and delightful day.

ASEAN has Celebrated its 55th Anniversary

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ASEAN has Celebrated its 55th Anniversary

By Roy Lie Atjam

ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – Addressing Challenges Together !

With a population of more than 650 million and a GDP of about 4 trillion USD in 2021, ASEAN is the most promising and dynamic market in the world.

On 8 August 1967, five leaders, the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, sat together in the Department of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok, Thailand and signed a document.

This memorable day, has been celebrated in all member states and at diplomatic missions as far as Havana, Suva, Buenos Aires, Prague, Vancouver, Rabat and many other places in the world. Celebrations in Jakarta were broadcasted live through ASEAN’s social media channels.

H.E. Mr. Eduardo J Malaya, Ambassador of the Philippines.

The Embassy of the Philipinnes currently holds the chairmanship of the ASEAN  Committee in the Netherlands. Hence the premises of their mission served as a backdrop for the 2022 ASEAN Day festivities on 5th August 2022. All ASEAN Ambassadors stationed in the BENELUX attended.

ASEAN DAY 2022  was made more special with the Netherlands’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and cooperation in Southeast Asia  one week ago.

In his welcome remarks the Ambassador of the Philippines H.E. Dr Eduardo Malaya noted, “I am happy to see all of you here. This is the largest gathering of the ASEAN community in the Hague since restrictions were lifted a few months ago. Your presence today reflects the rejuvenation of our community and the whole ASEAN region and our collective resolve to move forward.”

Mr. Hoang Hai Nguyen (Viet Nam), Ambassador Lim Hong Huai (Singapore), Ambassador Soe Lynn Han (Myanmar), Ambassador Mayerfas (Indonesia) and spouse Mme. Virna Mayerfas, Ambassador Dato’ Nadzirah Binti Osman (Malaysia), Director Karin Mossenlechner, Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya (Philippines) and spouse Dr. Rena Cristina Koa-Malaya, Ambassador Pham Viet Anh (Viet Nam) and spouse Mme. Le Thi Hien Anh, Ambassador Nong Sakal (Cambodia), Ms. Chonvipat Changtrakul (on behalf of Ambassador Chatri Archjananun of Thailand) and Ambassador Phoukhong Sisoulath (Lao PDR).

Ambassador Eduardo Malaya went on stating, this what he said in part: “it is an honour for the Philippine Embassy to host this year’s ASEAN Day on behalf of the ASEAN Committee in The Hague. I wish to specially welcome the ASEAN Ambassador accredited to the Netherlands but based in Brussels who are with us today – Nong Sakal of Cambodia, Phoukhong Sisoulath of Laos, Soe Lynn Han of Myanmar and Lim Hong Huai of Singapore.

2022 is a milestone year for ASEAN for a number of reasons: it is ASEAN’s 55th year founding anniversary; ASEAN and the European Union mark 45 years of dialogue relations, of which the Philippines is the Coordinator for ASEAN, and two days ago, at the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Phnom Penh, the Netherlands completed its accession to the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. With this significant step, the Netherlands has expressed its strong desire to work more closely and deepen cooperation with the ASEAN and its 10 Member States towards a more prosperous, environmentally sustainable, stable Southeast Asia region, which step the ASEAN has warmly welcomed.  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director for Asia & Oceania’s countries, Ms. Karin Mossenlechner delivering her keynote message.

The steady recovery of the ASEAN region is a cause for optimism, owing to the effective pandemic response and cooperation that the ASEAN and its Member States have shown during these unprecedented times. As guided by the ASEAN comprehensive recovery framework and with the support of the European Union and other partners, we now have a safer, stronger, and responsive ASEAN community.

With this recovery, the ASEAN as a region is forecasted to have an economic growth of 4.9% GDP this year and 5.2% next year. With the entry into force of the ASEAN-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, we look forward to a more economically dynamic ASEAN where there are growth, prosperity and better opportunities to improve the lives of our peoples.

ASEAN remains to be one of the world’s economic success stories that holds even more enormous potentials. If it were a single country, it would be the 5th largest economy in the world, accounting for 3.5% of the global economy and is projected to rank as the fourth largest economy by 2030. This year, the estimated total GDP of all ASEAN states amounted to around USD 9.7 trillion, a significant increase from previous years. In fact, the economies of the ASEAN region have been remarkably increasing for years now, reflecting the region’s strong fundamentals and economic resiliency. 

These and the vitality of each and every ASEAN country augur well for our bilateral and multilateral partnerships, including with the EU. 

The Strategic Partnership with the EU is one of the most important for ASEAN. Our shared values, principles, and interests, such as belief in strengthening the rules-based international order and effective multilateralism to address common challenges, including economic, security, health, environment and climate change, are the bedrock of our relations. Ours is a dynamic and multifaceted partnership, covering political-security, economic, environmental, climate and socio-cultural issues as well as connectivity. 

We welcome the EU’s enhanced engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, including ASEAN, to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific for all while building strong and lasting partnerships. We appreciate EU’s unwavering support to the principle of ASEAN centrality and its contribution to ASEAN’s community building and regional integration efforts. 

ASEAN, as a whole and each member country, look forward to EU’s initiatives envisioned in the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific for enhanced cooperation, notably in the priority areas of sustainable and inclusive prosperity, green transition, ocean governance, digital governance and partnership, digital connectivity, security and defense, and human security. There are parallel initiatives in ASEAN itself on these areas, which complement both regions’ strategies and goals. We all fervently hope that our partnership will continue to grow in the years and decades to come.

Traditional dance from Malaysia’s State of Sarawak “Ngajat”

ASEAN has its own set of challenges and issues, as the discussions in the recent Foreign Ministers meeting have shown, but so do other regions. For the past 55 years, we have faced challenges, and through our commitment to listen to each other, share ideas and experiences and work together, we have realized many of our peoples’ aspirations.

We need to continue embracing our commitment to the spirit of togetherness in a caring and sharing community where everyone matters.

Thailand’s dance “Rum Plearn”
Viet Nam’s song “Hello Viet Nam!”

Let me conclude by recalling the wise words of Rodolfo Severino, a senior colleague who served as ASEAN Secretary General:

“ASEAN is more than an association of states.  It is also a process, a spirit, a state of mind.  Nor is ASEAN a closed, exclusive club. It is open to cooperation with others. Its dialogue system relating to other countries and groups is unique in the world… so are its ability and willingness to act with other countries as the situation calls for it.” 

The Philippine Embassy personnel singing “Kahit Ayaw Mo Na”

With sunny smiles, sumptuous food and exquisite cultural performances, the ASEAN Ambassadors and the community in The Hague celebrated the 55th year of ASEAN and 45th year of ASEAN-EU dialogue relations. This was on Friday, August 5, 2022. Further in the program, hoisting of the ASEAN flag and singing of the ASEAN Anthem led by Mr. Jasper Revilla, and accompanied on piano by Mr. Marco Giovanni Guibone. Furthermore, the guest of honour Karin Mossenlechner, Director Asia & Oceania at Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, delivered her keynote address.

ASEAN flavors

The day concluded with an ASEAN  treat, a savoury buffet.

ASEAN  Stronger Together!

Controversies around Amnesty’s report on Ukraine

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Controversies around Amnesty’s report on Ukraine

By Willy Fautré, director of Human Rights Without Frontiers

HRWF (12.08.2022) – In any war, violations of international humanitarian law are committed by all belligerents and Russia’s warfare on Ukraine is shedding further light on the need to protect civilians in the context of intensified urban warfare. In Ukraine, overtaking cities is of strategic value for Russia and is part of their warfare tactics. The terrain thus becomes very complex with the inevitable proximity of the military with the civilian population.

Documenting violations of the law of war in an impartial manner and making recommendations to avoid the recurrence of civilian casualties is highly commendable. Indeed, one of the goals of human rights organisations is to prevent them in case of non-compliance with the Geneva Conventions, a body of fundamental rules of international humanitarian law that set limits to the barbarity of war and protect those not or no longer taking part in hostilities.

In the case of Amnesty’s short report “Ukrainian fighting tactics endanger civilians” published on 4 August, the interpretation of the notions of neutrality and impartiality as well as their concrete application is questioned by many international observers who do not doubt the reality of the facts collected by its investigators. However, they criticise the report’s methodology and communication strategy, suggesting that there are serious flaws in the methodology of Amnesty’s controversial report.

The case of a war of aggression, invasion and occupation of a sovereign country with the aim of annexing it completely has been a unique case since Amnesty exists and covers the law of warfare. Ukraine is an aggressed country in a self-defence situation. The methodological terrain for covering this kind of conflict, unique since Hitler’s invasion of Poland and many other countries in Europe before and during the Second World War, is therefore like a white page and vulnerable to all sorts of risks.

First of all, the authors of the report had to be fully aware of the existence and power of the Russian propaganda and disinformation machinery and adapt their methodology so as not to feed it. However, Amnesty fell into this trap: its report is being shamefully instrumentalised by the aggressor country for war purposes, which was entirely predictable given the report’s titles and structure. This has provoked sharp comments from Ukrainian political leaders, not necessarily justified in their wording, well-founded criticism from neutral observers and analysts abroad, but also a stir within Amnesty.

The head of Amnesty International/ Ukraine resigns

The head of Amnesty International in Ukraine, Oksana Pokalchuk, has resigned after the NGO published a report blaming the Ukrainian armed forces for endangering their own civilians.

“I am resigning from Amnesty International in Ukraine,” Pokalchuk said in a statement on her Facebook page, blaming the report for unwittingly serving “Russian propaganda”.

“If you don’t live in a country that has been invaded and is tearing it apart, you probably don’t understand what it means to condemn an army of defenders,” the Amnesty Ukraine official added.

She said she had tried to convince Amnesty International’s management that the report was partial and did not take into account the views of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry.

Pokalchuk claimed that Amnesty had approached Ukraine’s defence ministry but “gave it very little time for a response”. 

Pokalchuk has been the head of Amnesty’s office in Kyiv for seven years.

Amnesty’s Polish branch stressed that Ukraine’s military is “defending itself from a cruel and unjust attack, fighting in unequal conditions imposed by the aggressor,” as Russian troops have been carrying out “inhumane attacks not only on individual civilian targets but also cities, towns, and villages. The comments come as a response to Amnesty International’s Aug. 4 claiming that Ukrainian troops are endangering civilians by deploying weapons in residential areas.

Of course the report is not pro-Russian and it is not illegitimate to analyze the defense warfare of Ukraine after publishing quite a number of damning reports about the warfare of the aggressor country. However, the question is: “Does the way it is presented contribute to a better protection of the civilian populations and wasn’t there a less controversial way to do it?”

Alternative approaches were possible

1.The formulation of the titles of the report and of the focus areas is questionable in a constructive strategy: Ukrainian fighting tactics endanger civilians – Launching strikes from populated civilian areas – Military bases in hospitals – Military bases in schools. This immediately gives the impression that Ukraine is gravely failing in this regard. Hence the rejection of the report by the Ukrainian authorities in violent terms and a closed door to a constructive dialogue.

The philosophy and the objective of the report could have been different, being titled “Civilian populations in Russia’s war on Ukraine.” By collecting data about the respect or not of international humanitarian law by both parties in the conflict and supporting it with statistics about the extent of the damage caused to civilians, Amnesty would not have departed from its principles of neutrality and impartiality. Moreover, its report could not have been misused by the Russian propaganda and disinformation machine.

2. If the purpose of the report was to warn Ukraine, the aggressed country in a situation of self-defense, against the perpetuation of the alleged failure to protect its own citizens on various theatres of war while avoiding the instrumentalisation by the Russian aggressor, it was possible to start with a confidential and constructive approach with the Ukrainian authorities.

First step. Contacts with relevant Ukrainian officials could have been organized about the content of the report in the making. Nothing in the report indicates that the collected data was checked and double-checked with the authorities and non-Ukrainian military experts during the investigation.

Second step. An amended version in the light of this multiple consultation could then have been confidentially provided to the Ukrainian authorities with concrete recommendations: the immediate transmission of clear instructions to the relevant authorities and actors on the ground about the management of civil populations on territories where Ukrainian troops are fighting.

Third step. Publishing a final report after assessing the implementation of the recommendations, after one month for example, including the will and the capacity of the Ukrainian authorities and actors at all levels to improve the protection of their own civil populations.

3. Some additional investigation about the prosecution, or not, of alleged violations of the civilian non-combatants’ rights committed by both sides would also have contributed to a more balanced picture of the reality.

Conclusions

The security of civilians in wartime is an important issue that human rights NGOs have the right to monitor but all belligerent parties need to be scrutinized with the same criteria and properly documented.

By releasing its report, Amnesty claimed their sole objective was to ensure that civilians are protected. In contrast, it ended up causing anger, pain and distress, and was accused of it being a propaganda gift for Moscow. A number of flaws led to this unfortunate outcome.

While Amnesty mentioned 19 towns and villages where the security was allegedly not guaranteed by the Ukrainian army, it does not explain the choice of those specific locations and the number of other investigated towns and villages where civilians were found not to be put at risk was not mentioned.

A separate report last month by Human Rights Watch identified three occasions in which Ukrainian forces were based among residential homes and four occasions when Russian forces set up military bases in populated areas of Ukraine.

Amnesty’s report fails to publish details of the incriminated cases, which makes a transparent counter-inquiry impossible. It also fails to say if there were victims among civilians allegedly endangered and to identify the possible responsibilities in the Ukrainian army or at the level of the government.

The statements of civilians interviewed by Amnesty are also insufficient material to establish causality and responsibility in the cases vaguely raised by the report.

Moreover, there is well established evidence that the Russian army has shelled over 17,000 civilian targets in five months in Ukraine and this is silenced in the report. In addition, there is no data concerning the endangering of Ukrainian civilians by the Russian army on territories they have and are occupying although the massacres in Bucha have quickly been documented by the International Criminal Court after the departure of the Russian soldiers. The official toll is now known: 457 civilians were shot down and killed after torture.

A final question remaining without any answer is the reason why Amnesty put the alleged endangering of civilians by the sole Ukrainian army on top of its priorities as if there were not other pressing issues. 

These few points listed above, among many others raised in the media enjoying press freedom, are highly indicative of the serious flaws in the methodology of Amnesty’s controversial report.

Fundamentally, Amnesty has ignored the complexity of the urban warfare that Russia is imposing on Ukraine.

Ukrainians are intent on avoiding breaches of humanitarian law and in this regard they deserve to be helped in a constructive and humane way by the international community to have a strong command and control structure, clear chain of command, military doctrine, standard operating procedures to address issues related to protection of civilians.

Further reading about the issue

Photo credits: Heidi Levine for The Washington Post

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Dr Gutmann received by Premier Boris Rhein

Diplomat Magazine
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Dr Gutmann received by Premier Boris Rhein

Monday, 8th August 2022, Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany: During the inaugural visit of US Ambassador Dr Amy Gutmann to the State Chancellery, Hesse’s Premier Boris Rhein emphasized how important close cooperation between Hesse and the United States of America is to him.

The new ambassador took office on Thursday, 17 February this year.

During her visit to the Hessian State Chancellery, U.S. Ambassador Dr Amy Gutmann said: “The joint commitment to our democratic values and the transatlantic partnership are more important today than ever. I am grateful for Germany’s reliable support and cooperation. I am particularly grateful to the State of Hesse for its comprehensive cooperation at the economic, political and military levels. This also includes our joint efforts to promote the exchange of trainees and students. Fostering an exchange between the next generation of citizens and leaders ensures the future of our relationship with Germany.”

Hesse and the USA hold a special relationship

Premier Rhein also recalled the “special relationship” between Hesse and the United States. After the end of the Second World War, he said as per original statement in the German language, that the USA had contributed significantly to the reconstruction of the country. Today, Hesse is an important economic partner and a major base for the American military.

More than 1500 companies have now settled in Hesse, and over 15,000 Americans live and work in the region. In addition, the European headquarters of the United States Army is based in Wiesbaden, capital of the federal state.

“Hesse has also maintained a partnership with the state of Wisconsin for more than 45 years. It is the oldest regional partnership in our state and is considered the first between an American state and a German federal state,” said Premier Rhein.

For further information 

Government of Hesse: https://hessen.de/presse/ministerpraesident-rhein-will-partnerschaft-mit-den-usa-staerken

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