Activists in appeal to Hanoi

Originally appeared in Bangkok Post

Southeast Asian human rights advocates have called on Vietnam to allow them to hold activities freely during the 16th Asean Summit, scheduled to be held in Hanoi on April 8 and 9.

Yap Swee Seng, executive director of Bangkok-based Forum Asia, said Hanoi has been requiring human rights advocates to submit applications one month prior to holding any activities in Vietnam. The groups must include their agenda, a schedule of activities and a list of participants.

“It’s very bureaucratic and it’s an obstacle for us,” he said.

“We are now negotiating as to whether Hanoi will allow us to undertake human rights activities.”

Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan said obstacles caused by the activities of rights groups during the Asean Summit in Thailand last year led senior officials to put measures in place to prevent problems in Hanoi.

But he said he would do his best to help the activists to get their message across.

“Ask me as the Asean secretary general [if I can help], if you [activists] have problems,” Mr Surin said.

The advocates from almost 40 human rights organisations gathered on Monday in front of the gate of the Asean Secretariat in Jakarta to call on the Asean Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), the first human rights body since Asean was founded 43 years ago, to address severe human rights violations in Southeast Asia.

Temme Lee, of the Kuala Lumpur-based Asia Pacific Refugees Rights Network, said she was uncomfortable with Hanoi’s stand and would like Vietnamese authorities to do more to help promote human rights.

“We believe Asean governments must ensure the people’s rights to express their freedom and Vietnam as the chair of this Asean Summit must play a greater role,” Ms Lee said.

Nay Vanda, deputy head of the human rights programme of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association, said he believed Asean countries would benefit from their human rights activities. “The Vietnamese government should allow us to host the activities freely,” Nay Vanda said.

This post is in: ASEAN