MANISFESTO VETERANS CONFEDERATIOM
OF ASEAN COUNTRIES

The Veteran’s delegates of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, bound by common sentiments and aspirations, assemble on this 19th day of December 1980 at Jakarta, Indonesia, for the purpose of unifying and strengthening the collective efforts of veteran organization in South East Asia, in order to serve the interest of veterans, including the disabled among them and the war victims and promoting unity, peace and prosperity, not only in this Region, but throughout the world.

Toward this ends, we call upon and urge individual veterans and veteran organization in the ASEAN, duly organized and accredited in their respective countries, to join, support and rally behind the VETERANS CONFEDERATION OF ASEAN COUNTRIES, an organization solemnly dedicated to the protection and promotion of the general welfare of all veterans of each member nation.

In order to achieve these ideals, the VETERANS CONFEDERATION OF ASEAN COUNTRIES is committed to promote and to foster goodwill, understanding and harmony among its members, regardless of differences in religion, language, culture, customs and traditions, and in consonance with these objectives, the Confederation shall provide the viable solutions to problems and situations affecting the veterans in this Region may be formulated and effectively implemented.

Finally, it is our fervent hope and dream that through this organization the veterans of this Region will be capable of mutually helping themselves, in order that they will become self-reliant and productive citizens of their respective countries, that by being so they can more effectively support the cause of peace, stability and harmony, not only in South East Asia, but elsewhere in the world. 

VECONAC IN BRIEF

INTRODUCTION

VECONAC is a Confederation of Veterans in South East Asia established in 19 December 1980 in Jakarta based on the Manifesto of Veterans Confederation of ASEAN Countries. The document was signed by the Head of Delegates from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Singapore.  

HISTORY OF ESTABLISHMENT

During the fourth Congress of LVRI on 19 December 1978, the representatives from ASEAN organization of Veterans, agreed to establish a federation among veterans Organization in ASEAN Countries. The aims of the Organization are:

• Promoting cooperation among Veterans organizations in ASEAN Countries to further increase prosperity of its members in the field of socio economy as well as status.
• Enhancing solidarity among ASEAN organization of Veterans.

An Ad-hoc Committee of five representative of ASEAN was set up to prepare:

• The constitution of ASEAN Federation of Veterans
• The name of ASEAN Federation of Veterans
• The opening ceremony and the first General Assembly of the Veterans federation of ASEAN to be held in Jakarta.
• The date, the venue and the number of delegates from respective Veterans organization to be invited.

The first ad-hoc meeting was in Manila in July 1980 decided to establish decided to establish a regional veterans organization of ASEAN based on the following:

• The organization should be a supporting organization for the achievement of ASEAN objectives as contained in the Bangkok Declaration and Kuala Lumpur Declaration signed on 8 August 1967 and 27 November 1977 respectively.
• The membership is open only for veterans Organizations officially by its respective country.
• LVRI was assigned to hold a meeting aimed at establishing the organization.

INAUGURATION OF VECONAC

As the result of the First Ad-hoc Meeting, LVRI organized the meeting in Graha Purna Yudha (Granada) Building, Sudirman Street Kav 50 Jakarta, on 19-20 December 1980. The inaugural ceremony of VECONAC was attended by the Head of Delegates from five countries and witnessed by the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr Adam Malik.

In 1985 the Ex-Servicemen and Ex-Policemen Association of Brunei Darussalam joined the VECONAC, thus made the membership comprising of six countries.

The 21st ASEAN Standing Committee meeting in Bangkok on 20-22 October 1987 recognized VECONAC as a Non Governmental Organizations dealing with matters pertaining to veterans, affiliating to ASEAN.

The Veterans Association of Vietnam is admitted as a regular member of VECONAC effective 1997.

Effective 15 February 2008 SAF Veterans League is admitted as a regular member of VECONAC, Vice Ex-Services Association of Singapore who was the founder of the Confederation.