ASEAN mechanism on human rights hits snag<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A session of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
\nSenior Officials Meeting (SOM) to discuss the establishment of a
\nregional mechanism on human rights hit a snag as several member
\ncountries appeared to be reluctant about moving forward with the
\nidea.<\/p>\n
Proposals from the regional grouping of non-governmental
\norganizations (NGOs) for the establishment of an ASEAN commission
\non human rights and another on an Eminent Persons Group to
\nmonitor rights implementations received little response from
\nmember countries at the session.<\/p>\n
\"Only four countries -- Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and the
\nPhilippines -- agreed to conduct further discussions on the two
\nissues,\" the foreign ministry's director of human rights
\nhumanitarian and socio-cultural affairs, I Gusti Wesaka Pudja,
\ntold The Jakarta Post on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The four countries are the only ones among the 10 ASEAN
\nmembers that have national human rights commissions.<\/p>\n
He said the discussion would be held in October with Thailand
\nhosting.<\/p>\n
\"Ideally, we should have an institution that ensures the
\nprotection of all ASEAN citizens with a sufficient mandate from
\neach government to do so,\" Pudja said.<\/p>\n
As the outgoing ASEAN president, Indonesia highlighted the
\nimportance of taking further steps on promoting human rights in
\nthe region, referring to the 1993 Vienna Convention underlining
\nthe importance of all United Nations member countries to have a
\nnational human rights commission.<\/p>\n
The issue was raised at a recent human rights workshop held by
\nASEAN NGOs in Jakarta, when the establishment of a regional human
\nrights commission was also proposed.<\/p>\n
\"This is not a new proposal, and all member countries have
\nshared the commitment for more than 10 years. We simply want to
\ntake the commitment to the next level,\" Pudja remarked.<\/p>\n
He said some countries had used their lack of a national
\nrights commission and the policy of non-interference in domestic
\naffairs as reasons to delay the talks.<\/p>\n
\"The authority and responsibility of a proposed regional
\ncommission are always a subject of discussion, and of course we
\nrespect the sovereignty of each member country,\" he stressed.<\/p>\n
ASEAN members have so far agreed to sign a declaration on the
\nelimination of violence against women in the region.<\/p>\n
\"This is a good beginning to secure a political commitment
\nfrom all member countries on human rights. We had hoped that
\nASEAN could actually move further on the issue,\" Pudja said.<\/p>\n
A Singaporean diplomat told the Post that the absence of a
\nnational commission on human rights did justify a country's
\nreconsidering the proposal for an ASEAN commission.<\/p>\n
\"Not just that, there has been no official proposal from the
\nforum to establish such commission. So how can we be against an
\nidea that has not even been proposed yet,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asean-mechanism-on-human-rights-hits-snag-1447893297",
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