Draft of the ASEAN Charter

"Prachatai has obtained a copy, marked ‘Confidential', of the draft ASEAN Charter which we present here.

This document, which has been in the drafting process for 2 years, is supposedly for the benefit of the citizens of all ASEAN countries. Yet public participation in drafting the charter has been virtually zero and the plan is for the document to remain secret until it is signed into force by all member countries at the ASEAN summit in Singapore on 20 November.

Attempts by civil society in other ASEAN countries (and members such as Lao and Burma allow no civil society) to obtain copies of the draft charter and to initiate public debate have been met with an almost impregnable wall of secrecy."

Draft of ASEAN Charter (Click to download : 6 MB of pdf file)
ASEAN Website