Civil society issues declaration in the run up to the South Asian summit.

Brussels, 05/08/08: In the run up to the SAARC summit of South Asian Heads of State or Governments on 2-3 August, the members of social movements, labour unions, women's groups and civil society organisations gathered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 18-20 July 2008, as part of the process of Peoples SAARC, to forge a vision for a Peoples Union of South Asia. After discussions and debates for three days at plenary sessions and over thirty workshops, the civil society representatives issued a “Colombo declaration” calling upon the government representatives attending the SAARC summit of 2-3 August to seriously address the concerns and demands of the people of the region, in areas such as human rights, free movement of peoples, food security, the setting up of regional institutions and mechanisms such as a South Asian Tribunal of Justice, fighting the neo-liberal instruments and achieving climate justice. Responding to the concerns regarding the food crisis, the SAARC summit issued a statement on food security.

Click here to read the Colombo declaration issued by Asian civil society organisations.
Click here to read the Colombo statement on food security issued by the government representatives from South Asia.