INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF JURISTS The Dynamic Aspects of the Rule of Law in the Modern Age REPORT ON THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOUTH-EAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC CONFERENCE OF JURISTS BANGKOK, THAILAND FEBRUARY 15-19, 1965 GENEVA - SW ITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF JURISTS The Dynamic Aspects of the Rule of Law in the Modern Age REPORT ON THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOUTH-EAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC CONFERENCE OF JURISTS BANGKOK, THAILAND FEBRUARY 15-19, 1965 International Commission o f Jurists (ICJ) Geneva, Switzerland GENEVA - SWITZERLAND C TABLE OF CONTENTS WORKING PAPER Preface.......................................................................................... 9 Part I—Introduction General .................................................................................. 13 The Dynamic Concept of the Rule of L a w....................... 14 Concepts of D em ocracy...................................................... 17 The Scheme of the Working Paper. ............................... 20 Part II—South-East Asian Problems The Different Types of Community in South-East Asia . 21 Some Characteristic Features of Asian Societies............... 22 Factors Undermining the Rule of Law in South-East Asia 26 Notes on Some Special Forms of Government in South­ East A sia............................................................................. 33 Summary................................................................................. 36 Part III—Basic Requirements of Representative Government under the Rule of Law—Committee I Constitutional Protection...................................................... 39 Independent and Impartial Tribunals.................................. 42 Free Elections.......................................................................... 44 Freedom of Expression.......................................................... 46 Freedom of Association and the Function of the Opposition 48 Civic Education..................................................................... 49 Summary................................................................................. 50 Part TV—Economic and Social Development within the Rule of Law Committee II Need for Economic Development...................................... 53 Nationalization..................................................................... 59 Land R eform .......................................................................... 60 Administrative Power and its C o n tro l............................... 62 The Need for Efficient and Trustworthy Administrators . 63 3 Liability of the State for Wrongful A c t s ........................... 65 The ‘ Ombudsman’ C o n c e p t............................................... 65 Summary.................................................................................. 67 Part V—The Role of the Lawyer in a Developing Country Committee i n In tro d u cto ry .......................................................................... 71 Assistance in Economic Development and Social Progress 73 The Lawyer’s Responsibility in the Field of Legislation. 74 The Lawyer’s Responsibility in the Administrative and Civic F ie ld s .................................................................................. 75 Service to the State and the Individual............................... 76 Legal Education...................................................................... 78 Summary.................................................................................. 79 Part VI—Regional Conventions and Conrts of Human Rights for Asia and the Pacific Areas—Advisory Group General Desirability............................................... 81 Appointment of Advisory G ro u p....................................... 82 SOUTH-EAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC CONFERENCE OF JURISTS Programme.............................................................................. ... 83 Conference O fficers................................................................... 85 Participants and Observers........................................................... 87 Opening Plenary Session.............................................................. 99 Members of Committee I ........................................................... Ill Proceedings of Committee I ....................................................... 113 G e n e ra l.................................................................................. 114 Constitutional Protection....................................................... 115 Independent and Impartial Tribunals................................... 116 Free Elections..................................................................... 117 Freedom of Expression.......................................................... 120 Freedom of Association and the Function of the Opposition 120 Preventive Detention....................... ... .......................... 122 Civic Education...................................................................... 123 Members of Committee I I .......................................................... 125 Proceedings of Committee I I ....................................................... 127 Introductory Report ............................................................... 127 Social, Economic and Cultural Rights and the Rule of Law 132 4 Social Justice .......................................................... ... 134 Nationalization...................................................................... 136 Land R eform .......................................................................... 137 Economic Planning and State Regulation of Economy . 138 Efficient A dm inistration...................................................... 139 . Ombudsman Concept.......................................................... 142 Members of Committee HI.......................................................... 143 Proceedings of Committeei n ...................................................... 145 The Lawyer’s Responsibility to Society............................... 151 The Lawyer in his Practice ................................................... 154 The Lawyer and the Administration................................... 155 The Lawyer’s Role in the Field of Legislation................... 156 Legal Education...................................................................... 158 The Lawyer in International Relations............................... 160 Organized Bodies of Lawyers............................................... 160 Members of Advisory G ro u p ................................................ .. 163 Report of Advisory G ro u p .......................................................... 163 Plenary Session.............................................................................. 167 Closing Plenary Session.............................................................. 167 Declaration of B angkok.............................................................. 175 Conclusions and Resolutions...................................................... 177 5 WORKING PAPER on THE DYNAMIC ASPECTS OF THE RULE OF LAW IN THE MODERN AGE Theme: How far existing conditions in the areas under study are conducive to the maintenance and promotion of the Rule of Law in those areas; and in what ways further improve­ ments can be effected in the observance of the Rule of Law in the context of such conditions. PREFACE The purpose of a Working Paper is to provide the background information necessary for the Participants and to set out the principal issues which are likely to captivate the attention of the Conference. It is for the Conference to formulate solutions to the problems raised. If, in the course of this Working Paper, we have appeared to suggest solutions to some of the problems discussed, it is for the purpose of ensuring the consideration of these solutions and not to impose them on the Conference. Likewise, the Summaries at the end of Parts III, IV and V were included merely to assist the three principal Com­ mittees in their deliberations. While, in the course of the Working Paper, we have referred liberally to the concepts of the Rule of Law as elaborated at earlier ICJ Congresses and Conferences, we have done so only for the purpose of providing the point of departure for the work of the Conference. The elaborations of the concepts of the Rule of Law formulated at earlier Congresses and Conferences have now been finally accepted by the International Commission of Jurists and it is not the purpose of this Conference to re-state them or to revise them. Rather, it is intended that the Conference should regard them asres judicatae and as the starting-off point for an examination of the factors which impede the full application and advancement of these rules in parts of the South­ East Asian and Pacific area. It is the quest for answers to the questions posed in the theme which inevitably leads to the realization that political, economic and social factors are inextricably linked to the proper application of the Rule of Law. In other words, such evils as hunger, poverty, dictatorship, feudal land tenures, corruption, inefficient administrators and an inadequate Bar and Bench are all factors which militate against the proper application of the Rule of Law. It is in this sense that we regard the eradication of these evils as forming a vital part of the responsibility of lawyers and as coming within the framework of “ The Dynamic Aspects of the Rule of Law in the Modern Age ”. The South-East Asian and Pacific area comprises some