Representatives and leaders from 29 countries convened in
the Merdeka Building in Bandung, Indonesia upon the invitation of the Colombo
Powers to unite newly independent countries to form a third block of neutral
countries in conflict between 2 superpowers. At the end of the conference, they
released the Bandung final communiqué – the conclusion of the 6-day event.
Introduction
In 1954, after a
conference in Colombo between the Prime Ministers of 5 countries (Burma,
Ceylon, India, Indonesia, and Pakistan), they concluded by declaring the need
for an Asian-African Conference for a united foreign policy stand of newly
independent countries or the so-called third world.
After another
conference in Bogor in December 1954, they finally gave further substance to
the event by sending out the invitations for the attendees to the summit. In
end, 29 countries sent delegates representing half of the world’s population
and mixed with diverse culture and political viewpoints. Conflict between
anti-communist and neutralist prevailed. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Mohammed Ali
and India’s Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru also traded arguments over the
right for collective defense. In the end, the conference ended with a final
communique that stood as a compromise between different parties.
Summary of the Communique
The final communique
relayed a hopes for economic and cultural cooperation, as well as stand towards
human rights, rights for self-determination and world peace.
Economic Cooperation
For economic
cooperation, it focused in setting up finance, controls, and expertise
necessary to promote the economic development of third world countries. The Conference
did not condemned foreign investments, which many nationalist abhorred. It also
set up the exchange of technical experts between different countries.
The Conference also
recommended the establishment of the Special United Nations Fund for Economic
Development and for the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(later known as the World Bank) to expand its assistance to Asian-African
countries. They also endorsed the establishment of the International Finance
Corporation as well as joint ventures between businessmen of Asia and Africa. They
also recommended the creation of national and regional financial institutions
to finance economic projects in Asia and Africa.
With most of the
attendees relying on raw material exports, they called for a stable commodities
market. They called for a united stand of Asian and African countries in issues
in the United Nations Permanent Advisory Commission on International Commodity
Trade as well as other bodies related to trade. Though it suggested a united
stand, the Conference shied away from creating a regional bloc.
The Conference also
recognized the need to diversify economies and move from developing the
extraction of raw materials to processing it and turning them into
manufacturing goods. To help the promotion of manufacturing industries in Asia
and Africa, they recommended the organization of intra-regional trade fairs.
In terms of energy,
the Asian-African Conference understood the potential of nuclear power to light
millions of houses and power factories and industrial complexes. It promoted
the establishment of International Atomic Energy Agency in hope of spreading
nuclear technology meant for peaceful use.
In trade, they
recognized the necessity for multilateral as well as bilateral trade
agreements. They also promoted the development of railway freight as an
additional option besides expensive ship freight.
Cultural Cooperation
In this part, the
Conference condemned the last vestiges of colonialism prevailing in Asia and
Africa. But it also looked towards the future in promoting understanding and
knowledge of the diverse culture of the 2 continents.
The Asian-Africa
Conference abhorred colonialism in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco, 3 countries
struggling to break free from European yolk. They attacked the “cultural
suppression” by colonial powers in form of suppressing the study of their
colonies’ own language and local culture. They wished to an end of colonialism.
Besides the continuous
fight against colonialism, they wanted to fight ignorance and racial barriers
by expanding knowledge of the cultures of Asian and African countries. The
wanted to set student exchange programs and exchange of academics and
intellectuals. Mutual cultural exchanges also placed high in importance for the
Conference.
Human Rights and Self-Determination
Besides the
condemnation of cultural suppression that came along with colonialism, the
Conference also voiced further opposition to the colonialism through this
section of the communique. They supported as the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and condemned any practices that promoted racial segregation or
discrimination.
The Conference
promoted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that the United Nations
endorsed. With this declaration, the Conference wanted countries to abide its
clauses. And so doing, they criticized “policies and practices of racial
segregation and discrimination” being enacted in Africa, such as the Apartheid
in South Africa as well as discrimination in the same country towards Indians
and Pakistanis.
They continuously
attacked colonialism stating, “Colonialism in all its manifestation is an evil
which should speedily be brought to an end.” So it supported Indonesia in its
case against the Netherlands regarding West Irian and Yemen with Aden.
The Asian-Africa
Conference also touched on the issue of the Palestinians and called for the
implementation of the United Nations Resolutions regarding Palestine.
Promotion of World Peace and Cooperation
The Asia-Africa
Conference also endorsed the strengthening of cooperation between countries to
attain world peace. It started by endorsing the expansion of UN membership
reduction of conflicts and tensions.
The Bandung
Conference called for the admission of attendee countries to the United
Nations. These countries included Cambodia, Ceylon, Japan, Jordan, Libya,
Nepal, and North and South Vietnam. They also promoted the ascension of Asian
and African countries to the Security Council.
As usual, the
Conference also called for nuclear disarmament.
Declaration on the Promotion of World Peace and
Cooperation
The Declaration on
the Promotion of World Peace and Cooperation became the highlight of the communique
for its 10 principles of Bandung or the Dasa Sila Bandung. It included:
1. Respect for
fundamental human rights and for the purposes and principles of the Charter of
the UN.
2. Respect for the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.
3. Recognition of the
equality of all races and of the equality of all nations large and small.
4. Abstention from
intervention or interference in the internal affairs of another country.
5. Respect for the
right of each nation to defend itself singly or collectively, in conformity
with the Charter of the UN.
6. Abstention from
the use of arrangements of collective defense to serve the particular interest
of any of the big powers. Abstention by any country from exerting pressures on
other countries.
7. Refraining from
acts or threats of aggression or the use of force against the territorial
integrity or political independence of any country.
8. Settlement of all
international disputes by peaceful means, such as negotiation, conciliation,
arbitration or judicial settlement as well as other peaceful means of the
parties’ own choice, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations.
9. Promotion of
Mutual interests and cooperation.
10. Respect for justice
and international obligations.
The 10 principles
combined Jawaharlal Nehru’s 5 Principles of Peaceful Co-Existence and the wants
of some pro-western countries for a collective defense.
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