Asean delegate mistakes ‘Cha-cha’ for typhoon

A delegate to the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Cebu mistook "Cha-cha" for the name of the typhoon that forced the government to postpone the regional event to January next year.

Rafende Djamin, coordinator of the Indonesia NGO Coalition for the International Human Rights Advocacy, said that when he arrived Friday afternoon in Manila he proceeded to a conference where he heard a public announcement on the resetting of the Asean summit because of a typhoon.

But when Djamin read the newspapers, he said he also learned that one of the supposed reasons for the postponement was related to Charter change, or Cha-cha — a controversial issue being pushed by the administration, but which was met with resistance, particularly by the political opposition and various groups.

"I though Cha-cha was a typhoon," Djamin admitted to reporters during a news forum at the Sulo Hotel in Quezon City.

He said he had no idea about the constitutional change issue being linked to the mass action being planned by anti-Cha-cha advocates across the country.

"I learned later on that Cha-cha is not a typhoon, but constitutional reform," Djamin said.

He also recalled that in Indonesia several years ago, a typhoon named "Chacha" wreaked havoc and devastated some areas in his country.

However, the Indonesian human rights advocate expressed dismay over the resetting of the summit just because of a coming typhoon, saying they have prepared for the event since April.

He noted that at least 100 delegates representing human rights advocacy groups have already arrived in the Philippines for the summit.

According to Djamin, the event provides an opportunity for the heads of states to discuss pressing problems affecting the ASEAN region.

But he said that despite the cancellation, they would proceed meeting with their counterparts at the Montebello Hotel in Cebu City.

Among the issues they will discuss are human rights problems, rights of children and women, and the environment. The inputs of their meeting will be submitted to the ASEAN secretariat for proper action, he said.