Category: Civil Society

Indecision and Infighting: That’s the Asean Way

By MARK MCDONALD View From Asia November 20, 2012, 11:23 pm HONG KONG — Southeast Asian leaders have failed — again — to make any headway on resolving the dangerous territorial disputes over various islands in the South China Sea. At their regional summit meeting this week, they could not even agree to set up…

November 21, 2012
Asean Human-Rights Pledge Leaves Critics Cool

The Wall Street Journal, November 19, 2012 By CHUN HAN WONG PHNOM PENH—Southeast Asian leaders signed their first-ever joint declaration on human rights, a landmark in a region whose governments are often criticized for curtailing freedom—but rights groups dismissed it as inadequate. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ declaration—adopted at the 10-member group’s summit in…

November 20, 2012
UN official welcomes ASEAN commitment to human rights, but concerned over declaration wording

19 November 2012 – The United Nations human rights chief today welcomed the renewed commitment by leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to universal human rights norms – but expressed concern that the regional body’s recently-adopted human rights declaration, the region’s first, retains language that is not consistent with international standards. “The…

November 20, 2012
PHNOM PENH STATEMENT – ON THE ADOPTION OF THE ASEAN HUMAN RIGHTS DECLARATION (AHRD)

PHNOM PENH STATEMENT ON THE ADOPTION OF THE ASEAN HUMAN RIGHTS DECLARATION (AHRD) WE, the Heads of State/Government of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), on the occasion of the 21st ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; REAFFIRMING ASEAN’s commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental…

November 18, 2012
ASEAN adopts controversial human rights declaration

Southeast Asian nations have adopted a controversial human rights declaration at their summit in Cambodia. Critics say loopholes will enable authoritarian regimes to suppress citizens by citing national security. Leaders of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed the joint declaration, claiming it would enshrine human rights for the region’s 600 million citizens.…

November 18, 2012
Asean meet strengthens AHRD rules – HUMAN RIGHTS DOCUMENT REVISED

Published: 18/11/2012 at 12:00 AM PHNOM PENH : The Asean Human Rights Declaration was revised during the Asean Ministerial Meeting yesterday to smooth the way for its adoption by leaders of the grouping today. Ministers at the meeting also reviewed the Joint Statement on the 10th anniversary of the Asean-China Declaration on Conduct of Parties…

November 17, 2012
Barack Obama is under pressure to address human rights concerns in Burma and Cambodia as he embarks on first foreign trip since re-election to southeast Asia.

Barack Obama Photo: AFP By David Eimer in Bangkok 4:01PM GMT 16 Nov 2012 The White House’s top adviser on Asia has been forced to justify Mr Obama’s historic trip to Burma on Monday, as the president comes under mounting pressure from human rights groups. Activists claim his visit to the country is premature given Burma’s…

November 17, 2012
Despite criticism, ASEAN set to adopt rights declaration

Yohanna Ririhena and Bagus BT Saragih, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | World | Sat, November 17 2012, 7:31 AM Paper Edition | Page: 12 Despite criticism from civil society and the United Nations rights chief, ASEAN leaders are set to take a momentous step in the association’s 45-year-old history by adopting the first-ever ASEAN human…

November 16, 2012
Activists slam Cambodia obstruction

Published: 15/11/2012 at 08:12 PM Phnom Penh: Southeast Asian activists on Thursday cried foul over attempts by Cambodian authorities to derail their meetings just as the government prepares to host the Asean summit. Their regional meeting in the Cambodian capital under the banner of the Asean Civil Society Conference and Asean People Forum was disrupted…

November 16, 2012
“ASEAN Human Rights Declaration should maintain international standards,” urge key UN expert group

GENEVA (16 November 2012) – The largest body of independent experts in the United Nations Human Rights system today called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to ensure that international human rights standards are maintained when they come to consider the adoption of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration this Sunday, 18 November. “It…

November 16, 2012