Page 109 - The Ethics of ASEAN

Ethics of Freedom in ASEAN

spokesman, he was appointed Foreign Minister at the age of
25 and after independence played a leading role in building
the institutional foundations for democracy in Timor-Leste,
identified today as the only full democracy in Southeast Asia in
the US-based Freedom House rankings.
In opening his talk with Maria Ressa, Ramos-Horta
emphasises his commitment to democratic principles, justice,
and freedom. Being raised with Christian principles developed
his ethics of social justice. His advice to the ECAAR audience
is that freedom to speak out should not be sacrificed by falling
into the accepted “pragmatic mindset” that eventually allows
political bullying and elimination of freedom. On the other hand,
when you speak out as a leader it is not enough to defend your
own freedom. Your ethics must be balanced with “a strong
dose of compassion” especially for minorities and marginalized Figure 1: José Ramos-
Horta: President of Timor-
groups. These are the ethical principles, he says, that have been Leste and Laureate of the
the basis of his life. He adds that he feels especially proud that Nobel Peace Prize 1996
Timor-Leste has remained a thriving, dynamic, and peaceful
democratic country.
Ramos-Horta underlines that democracy in ASEAN is
facing more difficulty in recent years. There have been failures
in ASEAN to protect democratic principles and we have seen
backsliding on defending freedom and human rights, especially
in Myanmar. On the global stage there are similar failures
including the United Nations Security Council’s inability to
resolve conflicts in Syria and Yemen. Another challenge is when
authoritarian governments take advantage of new technologies
to entrench their power and sow misinformation. Ramos-Horta
expresses the urgent need for ASEAN to avoid the militarisation
of a nation dominating civil society and governance. He sees a
test for ASEAN in Myanmar after the military staged a coup to
completely overthrow a democratically elected government.
Despite these setbacks, Ramos-Horta believes that there
is room for hope that democracy will again be on the rise, citing
past transitions in Europe, Middle East, and Latin America
which have recovered from previous democratic setbacks.
He points out how young people in Southeast Asia are coming
together and advocating for democracy. ASEAN needs to stand
up for its youth so that they are not betrayed.
Ultimately, he advises that you don’t fight for democracy
with radicalism but with “praise for others, wisdom, and a great
deal of humility”.

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