Asian and European Leaders Should Heed Calls for Caution in Myanmar and Place Human Rights and Peace at Center of ASEAN Agenda

Concerns over the viability of various peace initiatives and the hopes of securing long-term peace and stability in Myanmar should be placed high on the agenda of the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Laos next month, the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) said today.

The 9th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit or ASEM 9 will be held on 5 – 6 November 2012 in Vientiane, Lao PDR under the theme: “Friends for Peace, Partners for Prosperity” […]

AHRD is Hijacked by Narrow-Minded National Interests

Number of burning issues related to ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD) that posted by the representative of civil society organizations from ASEAN region received cold feedbacks from the ASEAN Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights […]

Statement of ASEAN Foreign Ministers on the Recent Developments in the Rakhine State, Myanmar

ASEAN Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their strong support for the ongoing democratization process in Myanmar. Within the context of such positive progress, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers are following closely recent developments in the Rakhine State […]

HRWG Calls NHRI to Make an Investigative Report on Rohingya Issue

Human Rights Working Group (HRWG) is disturbed with the human rights violations against Rohingya in Rakhine State, West Myanmar. Governments in ASEAN cannot stay idle on the situation and take the issue as a regional concern […]

ASEAN: Ensure Declaration Meets Rights Standards

Genuine Consultation Needed with Civil Society Groups

Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should make a public commitment to ensure that the forthcoming ASEAN Human Rights Declaration will fully comply with international human rights standards. The foreign ministers are scheduled to meet on July 8, 2012, with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights in Phnom Penh and receive a draft declaration for their consideration […]

Letter to the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting from International NGOs on the Draft ASEAN Human Rights Declaration

The International Commission of Jurists, International Federation for Human Rights, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Dignity International, and Article 19, write to you today to express our grave concerns regarding the process of drafting the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD). We understand that the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) will be transmitting to you a draft of the Declaration during your meeting with them on 8 July 2012 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia […]

Open Letter to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) on the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration

We, the undersigned organizations, welcome the important initiative of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) in drafting the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD) and the determination that the Declaration will not be lower than international human rights norms and standards, as expressed in AICHR’s first official consultation meeting with civil society organizations on 22 June 2012 in Kuala Lumpur. We understand that the draft prepared by the AICHR will be presented at the 45th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) on 9 July 2010. As such, we appeal to you to take into considerations our following concerns in discussing the draft of the AHRD at the AMM […]

Civil Society Organisations Meet ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights on the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration, Call for Universal Standards to be Upheld

Representatives of Civil society organisations (CSOs) have today met the AICHR for the first time for a consultation on the drafting of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration. The organisations have welcomed the Consultation as a positive step in the right direction. They also welcome the constructive and friendly atmosphere in which the Consultation was held, and the openness of AICHR representatives to the comments and suggestions by CSO representatives.

We nevertheless regret that the Consultation was short, late, without a draft to comment on and with civil society only partially represented and some organizations rejected […]

ASEAN Human Rights Declaration Draft Ignores Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) and Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS) express deep regret that there was no specific reference concerning the collective rights of the Indigenous Peoples as enshrined in the UNDRIP in the drafting of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD) draft during the national consultation held at Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations in Kuala Lumpur on June 12, 2012 […]

ASEAN Human Rights Declaration Cannot Move Forward Without Genuine Consultation of Civil Society

The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) today called on ASEAN to delay the putting of its draft declaration on human rights before the foreign ministers of members states next month pending a fully inclusive, meaningful and transparent consultation of civil society and other stakeholders […]