The Asian Socialist Conference (ASC) was an organisation of socialistpolitical parties in Asia that existed between 1953 and 1965. It was established in an effort to build a Pan-Asian multinational socialist organization, clearly independent from earlier Europeancolonial centres, yet free from the new superpowers of the Cold War.[1]
In total, four Asian Socialist Conferences convened: Rangoon, 1953 and 1954, and Bombay, 1956 and 1965.[2][3] Until 1963 its headquarters was in Rangoon, Burma; the first chairman and treasurer of the conference were the Burmese socialist leaders Ba Swe and Kyaw Nyein, respectively.[4][5] As of 1956, the member parties of ASC had a combined membership of about 500,000.[6]
Background
The Burma Socialist Party had expressed a wish for cooperation with other Asian socialists as early as 1946. At that time, the party was in the midst of the anti-colonial struggle and hoped for cooperation with other Asian socialists against a common enemy.[7] On the occasion of the Asian Relations Conference, held in Delhi in 1947, leading members of the Socialist Parties of Burma, India and Indonesia, at an informal meeting, discussed the need and the possibility of the Socialist Parties of Asia meeting to discuss common problems and exchange experience.[4] Subsequently, informal meetings between Burmese, Indian and Indonesian socialists were held in connection with the Asian Regional Conference of the International Labour Organization in Delhi in December 1951.
At Delhi, it was agreed on that a committee for the holding of an Asian Socialist Conference would be formed consisting of representatives of India, Burma, Indonesia, Malaya, Siam, Vietnam, Korea and the Philippines (the Japanese would be invited as observers). The proposed committee would have its headquarters in Rangoon. However, these plans did not materialise as agreed and it would take several years until such an organisation of Asian socialist parties would take form.[8]
When the Socialist International was founded in 1951, some Asian socialists considered that the new organisation was too Eurocentric. Thus they felt that there was a need for an organised form of cooperation between Asian socialist parties.[9] In September 1951, representatives of the Socialist Party of India (later the Praja Socialist Party) and the Japanese Socialist Party had a meeting in Tokyo. A joint statement was adopted, calling for a conference of Asian socialist parties. In December 1951, representatives of the Progressive Socialist Party of Lebanon met with the Socialist Party of India in Delhi and a joint manifesto calling for Asian socialist cooperation was adopted.[4]
Preparatory Committee
Following these meetings, the socialist parties of India, Burma and Indonesia met in Rangoon, Burma in March 1952 for a preparatory meeting. The Japanese Leftist and the Rightist socialist parties took part in the meetings as observers.
This meeting convened the Asian Socialist Conference, to be held in Rangoon in January 1953. The participants formed the 'Preparatory Committee for the first Conference of Asian Socialist Parties' headed by Kyaw Nyein. The Preparatory Committee began publishing Socialist Asia, which would later become the organ of the Asian Socialist Conference.[4][8][10]
Despite its Asian focus, the organization still welcomed one European party, the League of Communists of Yugoslavia, which was perceived as unique case as the country never was a colonial power and since the 1948 Tito–Stalin split was also independent of the Soviet Union.[1] Inclusion of Yugoslavia in the Conference was particularly promoted by Burma while Yugoslavia perceived its independent participation (as the only independent European delegation) as an recognition and honor which led to the opening of Yugoslav Embassy in Rangoon during the Conference.[1] Yugoslavia of that day and age was perceived as a country that despite geography will fit well into the Third World initiatives while its World War II anti-imperial revolution was reminiscent of anti-colonial struggle.[12]
Rangoon conference
The Asian Socialist Conference was founded at a first conference held in Rangoon, Burma, January 6–15, 1953.[13] The conference established the ASC as an independent socialist organisation, with headquarters in Rangoon. Ba Swe was elected Chairman of the ASC.[4]
Participation
In total 177 delegates, observers and fraternal guests took part in the conference. The parties that took part as delegates were:[7][13]
All sessions of the conference were held in English, to the advantage of the Indian delegates but disadvantage for the Japanese, Indonesians and the Yugoslav delegation leader Đilas.[13]
During his stay in Rangoon, Đilas gave an interview to the Yugoslav party organ Borba, stating that "[t]he Conference has revealed that in Asia, especially in India, Burma and Indonesia, there are very significant combat forces, able to fight not only against the old colonialism but also against Cominformism and the Soviet and Chinese hegemony... [These nations] have unmasked the anti-Socialist soul of the Soviet Union and its satellites."[17]
Relation with the Socialist International
Even before the holding of the conference, the main organisers had agreed that the new organisation would exist separately from the Socialist International. However, at the Rangoon conference the SI delegation and its leader Attlee tried to convince the conference that the ASC would be a regional organisation of the SI. During the conference, Asian delegates criticised the stance of SI towards anti-colonial liberation movements.[18]
Three delegations (Israelis, Malayans and Japanese Rightists) supported the proposal to merge ASC into the SI fold. The Israeli and Malayan parties were both SI members. Other delegations at Rangoon opposed the proposal (albeit in varying degrees).[18] Opposition towards the SI was mainly expressed on issues relating to colonialism (the lukewarm attitudes of the SI towards anti-colonial liberation movements was criticised by delegates at the conference) and neutralism (at the conference, the SI was labelled as being part of the American camp). However, the way that the conference identified socialism was in terms similar to those the Socialist International used at the time.[19]
Interlude
Rangoon Bureau meeting
Between the first and second ASC conferences, the Bureau of the ASC met five times.[20] The first Bureau meeting was held just after the first conference, in Rangoon on January 15, 1953. The Rangoon Bureau meeting appointed a Secretariat, which was to run the day-to-day affairs of the ASC at its Rangoon office. The post of general secretary was earmarked for the Indonesian party, which was to name their appointee at a later stage. Two joint secretaries were appointed, Madhu Limaye from India and Hla Aung from Burma. The Burmese Kyaw Nyein was selected as the Treasurer of ASC, a difficult task considering the underfunding of the Rangoon office. Limaye arrived at the office in March 1953.[21]
In July 1953, ASC sent a four-member delegation to the congress of the Socialist International in Stockholm. The delegation was led by the Indonesian ASC general secretary Wijono. The ASC delegation suggested to the SI to commemorate a 'Dependent Peoples' Freedom Day', a proposal not well received by the SI congress.[21]
Hyderabad Bureau meeting
On August 10–13, 1953, the Bureau held its second meeting in Hyderabad. The meeting was held in the Hill Fort Palace and was chaired by Ba Swe.
This was the first Bureau meeting which Wijono took part in. Another notable participant was the Lebanese PSP leader Kamal Jumblatt. The meeting adopted resolutions on topics 'On Peace Settlements' (supporting the admission of the People's Republic of China into the United Nations, calling for elections to a constituent assembly under international supervision in Indochina, calling for reunification of Korea under an international authority acceptable to both sides), 'K.M.T. troops in Burma' (calling for their removal from Burma) and 'Greetings to West Asian Socialists' (condemning repression against socialists in Syria). The meeting expressed its hope in continued cordial relations with the Socialist International and the League of Communists of Yugoslavia. These two organisations had observers present at the meeting, Morgan Phillips from the SI and Dobrivoje Vidić from the Yugoslav party.[21][22][23][24]
The Hyderabad meeting decided to set up an 'Anti-Colonial Bureau', to be led by a Co-ordination Committee, which would be appointed by the ASC chairman. An office would be set up, served by one of the ASC Joint Secretaries and another Joint Secretary selected by the Co-ordinating Committee. Some suggestions for future tasks for the Anti-Colonial Bureau raised in Hyderabad included encouraging the holding of an all-African congress, calling for Asian and African governments to strengthen their work in the UN, calling of Asian newspapers to give more coverage and support to anti-colonial movements, sending a representative to the UN to help anti-colonial movements, urging that the Anti-Colonial Bureau should apply to become a consultative organisation in the UN, organising a fact-finding mission to colonial possessions in Asia, collecting funds for the defence of victims of colonial repression in Africa and elsewhere, and calling on Asian parties to arrange internships for African representatives.[22]
Moreover, the Hyderabad meeting called for the creation of a joint construction brigade of the ASC. The Israeli and Burmese parties were put in charge of elaborating a proposal for such a brigade.[22]
Limaye did not return to the Secretariat after the Hyderabad meeting. He was replaced by another Indian socialist, Madhav Gokhale. The Rangoon Secretariat was joined by one of the secretaries of the Anti-Colonial Bureau, Jim Markham of the Convention People's Party of the Gold Coast. In December 1953 Roo Watanbe, a Japanese Joint Secretary, arrived in Rangoon. The two Japanese parties had debated for a long time before being able to agree on a common candidate for ASC Joint Secretary.[22]
Kalaw Bureau meeting
The third meeting of the ASC Bureau was supposed to have been held in Indonesia in April 1954. However, the Indonesian government refused to allow the entry of the Israeli delegation and the meeting was postponed and its venue shifted to Burma. The Bureau met in Kalaw May 25–28, 1954.[25]
The Kalaw meeting adopted three resolutions, on Indochina, Korea and disarmament. At the meeting the Indian party had proposed a resolution condemning the formation of SEATO and calling for the formation of an Asian security alliance independent from the two superpowers, but this proposal was referred to the ASC parties rather than being adopted by the Bureau. A delegation of the Vietnam Socialist Party assisted the meeting. The delegation was led by Dr. Pham Van Ngoi. The Vietnam Socialist Party applied for ASC membership at the meeting, but the Bureau decided to wait with taking a decision on the application until a factfinding mission had been sent to Indochina and Malaya.[26] The Kalaw meeting also decided to send a factfinding mission to Ceylon.[27]
The factfinding mission to Malaya and South Vietnam was carried out July–August 1954. The delegation consisted of Wijono, Watanbe and Markham. Their report gave a favourable view on the Vietnam Socialist Party, whilst expressing sharp criticisms against the Labour Party of Malaya. Gokhale went on a one-man factfinding mission to Ceylon. His report suggested that ASC membership be given to the Lanka Sama Samaja Party.[28]
Tokyo Bureau meeting
The fourth ASC Bureau meeting was held in Tokyo November 19–21, 1954. The meeting was preceded by the first meeting of the ASC Economic Experts' Committee. Regarding the reports of the factfinding missions, the Bureau meeting decided to suggest the next Conference to approve membership for the Vietnam Socialist Party. Regarding the Ceylonese LSSP, the meeting suggested that LSSP be give a special invitee status provided that the LSSP break its relations to the TrotskyistFourth International. At the Tokyo meeting the LSSP leader Colvin R. de Silva participated. The LSSP could not accept the condition to break its affiliation to the Fourth International, and thus declined the proposal from ASC. After this break, the ASC began considering links with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party instead.[28]
Anti-Colonial Bureau
The Hyderabad Bureau meeting had given the ASC chairman the task of appointing the Co-ordination Committee of the Anti-Colonial Bureau. Ba Swe proposed the formation of a Committee with five representatives from the ASC parties and four representatives from African freedom movements. But problems in finding an adequate composition arose immediately, as the Moroccan appointee refused to sit in the same committee as a representative of the Israeli party.[25]
The Co-ordination Committee of the Anti-Colonial Bureau met for the first time in connection with the Kalaw ASC Bureau meeting in May 1954. Kyaw Nyein was elected Chairman of the Anti-Colonial Bureau.[27]
The debates at the Bombay conference were dominated by the Suez Crisis. The conference condemned the Anglo-French aggression against Egypt. Another resolutions called for Soviet withdrawal from Hungary, recognition of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations, and reunification in Vietnam and Korea.[6]
Israeli participation
In the case of Israel, Mapai was invited to the 1953 Rangoon conference rather than the more leftist Mapam. At the time, Mapam was considered as too close to the communists.[11]
The Israeli presence at the Rangoon conference provoked confrontations with Arab delegates. In the beginning of the conference the Egyptian delegate refused to sit at the same table as the Israeli delegation, and left the conference in protest. The Lebanese delegation also left the conference in protest of the Israeli participation. Notably, whilst not joining the Egyptian and Lebanese walk-out, the Pakistani party retained reservations about the role of the Israeli delegation.[18]
At the same time, the ASC provided a space for Mapai (which was the governing party in Israel) to foster relations with Asian socialists, contacts that were later to be translated into strengthening of bilateral diplomatic links with states such as Burma and Nepal. The Rangoon conference was probably the first time that Nepali Congress leaders met with Israelis. The fact that Nepalese and Burmese socialists could identify with the socialist profile of Mapai contributed to the shaping of close linkages. In the case of Nepal, these links were maintained even after the Nepali Congress had been dislodged by the royal coup in 1960.[30] In the case of Burma, the meetings at the Rangoon conference led to the opening of diplomatic links and, soon afterwards, the first appointment of an Israeli ambassador (David Hacohen) to an Asian country.[31]
With Israel's role in the Tripartite attack on Egypt in 1956, relations between Mapai and socialist parties in Asia deteriorated. The Japanese Socialist Party socialists saw the Israeli attack and the occupation of Egyptian territory and Gaza as foreign domination, intended to safeguard colonial control over Egypt. In January 1957 the JSP adopted the 'Fukuoka Resolution', which called for the expulsion of Mapai from the Asian Socialist Conference and the Socialist International. In the end, Israeli diplomats were able to persuade the JSP not to present the Fukuoka Resolution to the ASC and SI.[32]
Dissolution
As of 1961, the ASC was no longer functioning.[6] Factors contributing to the non-continuation of the ASC experience were the suppressions of socialist parties in Burma, Indonesia and Nepal, as well as the factional disputes which weakened the socialist movement in India.[9]
In 1970 the Asia-Pacific Socialist Bureau was formed as a successor organisation of the ASC. The Bureau, a committee of the Socialist International, had a different regional focus than the ASC, though. The Asia-Pacific Socialist Bureau was based in Wellington, New Zealand, and included the Australian and New Zealand Labour parties.[6]
The Lanka Sama Samaja Party, often abbreviated as LSSP, is a major Trotskyist political party in Sri Lanka. It was the first political party in Sri Lanka, having been founded in 1935 by Leslie Goonewardene, N.M. Perera, Colvin R. de Silva, Philip Gunawardena and Robert Gunawardena. It currently is a member of the main ruling coalition in the government of Sri Lanka and is headed by Tissa Vitharana. The party was founded with Leninist ideals, and is classified as a party with socialist aims.
Violet Vivienne Goonewardene, commonly known as "Vivi", was a Sri Lankan anti-colonial activist and prominent politician, serving as one of the world's first female ministers. A key figure in both the Indian independence movement and the Sri Lankan independence movement, Goonewardene was a prominent member on the non-aligned stage, where she fought against perceived injustices and was critical of the Middle East diplomacy sponsored by the United States. Goonewardene was the first and, to date, only female National Hero of Sri Lanka. By her death, she was one of the Left's most vibrant personalities, and the foremost female figure in the Sri Lankan leftist movement.
The Labour Party of Malaya was a political party in Malaya that was active between 1952 and 1969. It was originally formed as a confederation of state based labour parties known as the Pan-Malayan Labour Party (PMLP).
The Burma Socialist Party, initially known as the People's Freedom (Socialist) Party or PF(S)P, was a political party in Burma. It was the dominant party in Burmese politics after 1948, and the dominant political force inside the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League. Because of its inclusion in AFPFL, it was colloquially known as ဖဆဆိုရှယ်.
The Trade Union Congress (Burma) was a central trade union organization in Burma. The TUC(B) was founded by the Socialist Party in November 1945, in an attempt to counter the influence of the communist-led All Burma Trade Union Congress. Ba Cho was the President of TUC(B). The TUC(B) was an affiliate of the governing Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League.
The Socialist Party of Indonesia was a political party in Indonesia. It was founded at a meeting in Jogjakarta on 13 November 1945. The Defence Minister Amir Sjarifuddin was the chairman of the party. Parsi was largely made up by Amir Sjarifuddin's former colleagues from the wartime resistance struggle in East Java. Some of them originated in Gerindo, a leftwing, nationalist and pro-Sukarno group active before the war. There were also some persons, like Abdulmadjid, Moewaladi and Tamzil, who had lived in the Netherlands during the war, and taken part in the anti-fascist resistance struggle there. The primary objective of Parsi was the independence of Indonesia from colonial rule, which was to be followed by the construction of a socialist society.
The Socialist People's Party was a political party in Indonesia. It was founded in Djakarta in 1945. Sutan Sjahrir was the chairman of the party. In December 1945, at a meeting in Cheribon, the party merged with the Socialist Party of Indonesia, forming the Socialist Party with Sjahrir as chairman.
The Socialist Party was socialist political party in Indonesia which existed from 1945 to 1948. The party was founded as a merger between the Socialist People's Party (Paras) of Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir and Socialist Party of Indonesia (Parsi) of Defence Minister Amir Sjarifuddin. Sjahrir became chairman of the unified party, whilst Sjarifuddin became vice-chairman.
The Labour Party was a political party in Indonesia. It was formed on 25 December 1949 by a group of former Labour Party of Indonesia (PBI) members, who had disagreed with the merger of PBI into the Communist Party of Indonesia.
The Communist Party of Burma (CPB), also known as the Burma Communist Party (BCP), is a clandestine communist party in Myanmar (Burma). It is the oldest existing political party in the country.
The Conference of Youth and Students of Southeast Asia Fighting for Freedom and Independence, also referred to as the Southeast Asian Youth Conference, was an international youth and students event held in Calcutta, India on February 19–23, 1948. It was co-organized by the World Federation of Democratic Youth and the International Union of Students. It has often been claimed that the conference was the starting point for a series of armed communist rebellions in different Asian countries.
The Fourth International (FI), founded in 1938, is a Trotskyist international. In 1963, following a ten-year schism, the majorities of the two public factions of the Fourth International, the International Secretariat and the International Committee, reunited, electing a United Secretariat of the Fourth International. In 2003, the United Secretariat was replaced by an Executive Bureau and an International Committee, although some other Trotskyists still refer to the organisation as the USFI or USec.
Kyaw Nyein, called honorifically U Kyaw Nyein, was a Burmese lawyer and anti-colonial revolutionary, a leader in Burma’s struggle for independence and prominent politician in the first decade after the country gained sovereignty from Britain. He held multiple minister portfolios in the government of Prime Minister U Nu, served as General Secretary of the ruling political alliance, Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League (AFPFL), and was joint General Secretary of the Burma Socialist Party (BSP).
The communist insurgency in Burma was waged primarily by the Communist Party of Burma and the Communist Party (Burma) from 1948 to 1989. The conflict ended when the CPB, severely weakened by an internal mutiny, disbanded its armed wing.
Maung Maung (18 April 1920 - 8 July 2009) was a Burmese army brigadier, diplomat and author. He was one of the founders of the Anti-Fascist People's' Freedom League (AFPFL) and The Burma Socialist Party.
An International Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties was held in Moscow, Soviet Union, November 16–19, 1957. The meeting was attended by 64 political parties from all over the world. The meeting was the first of its kind, marking a new form of forum for the world communist movement following the disbanding of the Communist International (Comintern) and the Information Bureau of the Communist and Workers' Parties (Cominform). Four additional parties attended clandestinely out of fear of repercussions at home.
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement. Its capital, Belgrade, was the host of the First Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in early September 1961. The city also hosted the Ninth Summit in September 1989.
Burma–Yugoslavia relations were historical foreign relations between Burma and now split-up Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Both countries were among founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement and U Kyaw Nyein personally attended the movement's first conference in Belgrade. During its years of rise and active participation in the world politics Yugoslavia represented a role model to Burma with many high-level Burmese officials stating as their future political goal “to transform Burma into the Yugoslavia in Asia.” Yugoslavia and Burma found common ground in the fields of ideology and foreign policy and the League of Communists of Yugoslavia led by Vladimir Dedijer attended the 1953 Asian Socialist Conference in Rangoon. Inclusion of Yugoslavia in the Conference was particularly promoted by Burma while Yugoslavia perceived its independent participation as an recognition and honor which led to the opening of Yugoslav Embassy in Rangoon during the Conference.
Moe Nyo Ko Ko Gyi was a politician and parliamentary secretary of the government of the Union of Burma. He is also well-known for being responsible for housing and urban development throughout Burma; building schools, hospitals, and residential apartments. Yankin, a city located in the suburb of the former capital of Burma, was the largest and the earliest urban development project overseen by him.
↑ Braunthal, Julius (ed). Yearbook of the International Socialist Labour Movement. Vol. I. London: Lincolns-Prager International Yearbook Pub. Co, 1957. pp. 75–76
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