Asia's silence on Anwar arrest a concern: Groups<\/p>\n
TOKYO (AFP): Malaysia's treatment of ousted deputy premier
\nAnwar Ibrahim, who appeared in court on Tuesday bruised and
\ncomplaining of a severe police beating, has raised little protest
\nin Asia.<\/p>\n
Human rights groups said the Asian reaction to Anwar's arrest
\nunder national security laws which allow for detention without
\ntrial was a worrying reflection of its lack of concern.<\/p>\n
Anwar was arrested Sept. 20, shortly after being sacked by
\nMalaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. He denied in court
\ncharges of corruption and unnatural (homosexual) sex.<\/p>\n
\"The tendency in Asia is to treat the question of human rights
\nthrough the prism of 'Asian values' of which Mahathir is the
\nchampion,\" said Christine Lamarre, human rights expert and Tokyo
\nUniversity professor.<\/p>\n
\"From that angle, these countries consider there is an Asian
\nversion of human rights although these Asian values are often a
\npretext for Asian leaders to stay in power.\"<\/p>\n
Criticism has been rife in the West, but few have come to
\nAnwar's defense in his own region.<\/p>\n
\"Our stance, which remains the same as before, is that making
\nany comments on their internal affairs would be inappropriate,\"
\nsaid a Japanese foreign ministry official.<\/p>\n
In Taiwan, Foreign Minister Jason Hu said there were no signs
\nof chaos in Malaysia and \"Taiwan-Malaysia ties will not be
\naffected.\"<\/p>\n
A Thai foreign ministry spokesman said this week the Anwar
\ncase was \"an internal affair for Malaysia but we are concerned
\nabout the recent developments.\"<\/p>\n
There has been little official comment at all from the
\nPhilippines.<\/p>\n
Hideki Morihara, campaigner for Amnesty International in
\nTokyo, said he had been seeking to meet Japanese officials to
\nexpress the group's concern.<\/p>\n
\"But it is even difficult for us to make an appointment with
\nthe Japanese government on this matter,\" he added. \"The Japanese
\ngovernment should act more proactively towards such matters.\"<\/p>\n
Outside of Asia, however, Anwar has found friends.<\/p>\n
The U.S. State Department expressed concern about his
\ndetention and restrictions clamped on his wife's activities.
\nAustralian Prime Minister John Howard said he was worried about
\nMalaysia's apparent \"drift towards a more authoritarian
\napproach,\" earning a sharp rebuke from Mahathir.<\/p>\n
French Finance Minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn said Anwar had
\nbeen \"arrested in his country for defending opinions that are not
\nthose of Dr. Mahathir.\"<\/p>\n
And former British Hong Kong governor Chris Patten said Anwar
\nhad fought for freedom and democracy, asking rhetorically: \"Where
\nhave Mr Anwar Ibrahim's friends and admirers been over the last
\nfew days?\"<\/p>\n
Amnesty International's development coordinator for the Asia-
\nPacific region, Davadass Gnanapragasam, said it was \"not was very
\nsurprising these (Asian) countries have not responded to the
\nsituation.\"<\/p>\n
Many of them, he said, had their own national security
\nlegislation which they misused to suppress dissent.<\/p>\n
Lamarre of Tokyo University said Japan, however, was an Asian
\neconomic superpower \"giving the image of a country that does not
\nfulfill its responsibilities in defending human rights.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asias-silence-on-anwar-arrest-a-concern-groups-1447893297",
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