ASEAN Charter signed by all ten members countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations reaffirms their commitment for a people-centered ASEAN Community. The Charter also sets out ASEAN’s norms and principles on democracy, human rights, fundamental freedoms, and rule of law, good governance, constitutional government and social justice.

Nevertheless, the appointment of representatives of civil society by eight ASEAN Member States for the “Informal meeting with Civil Society Organizations” (known as the Interface Meeting) during the 20^th ASEAN Summit on April 3 and 4, 2012 in Phnom Penh is in contradiction with principles of the Charter. Moreover, this undermines the democratic self-selection process adopted by the annual ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN Peoples’ Forum (ACSC/APF).

In the spirit of withholding the democratic principles of the ASEAN Charter, we, the Indonesian civil society representatives attending the ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN Peoples’ Forum (ACSC/APF) 2012 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on March 29 to 31, 2012, have decided not to participate in the Interface Meeting with the ASEAN Leaders on April 3, 2012 at 15:00 at Peace Palace, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.