Asia's silence on Anwar arrest a concern: Groups

Asia's silence on Anwar arrest a concern: Groups

TOKYO (AFP): Malaysia's treatment of ousted deputy premier
Anwar Ibrahim, who appeared in court on Tuesday bruised and
complaining of a severe police beating, has raised little protest
in Asia.

Human rights groups said the Asian reaction to Anwar's arrest
under national security laws which allow for detention without
trial was a worrying reflection of its lack of concern.

Anwar was arrested Sept. 20, shortly after being sacked by
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. He denied in court
charges of corruption and unnatural (homosexual) sex.

"The tendency in Asia is to treat the question of human rights
through the prism of 'Asian values' of which Mahathir is the
champion," said Christine Lamarre, human rights expert and Tokyo
University professor.

"From that angle, these countries consider there is an Asian
version of human rights although these Asian values are often a
pretext for Asian leaders to stay in power."

Criticism has been rife in the West, but few have come to
Anwar's defense in his own region.

"Our stance, which remains the same as before, is that making
any comments on their internal affairs would be inappropriate,"
said a Japanese foreign ministry official.

In Taiwan, Foreign Minister Jason Hu said there were no signs
of chaos in Malaysia and "Taiwan-Malaysia ties will not be
affected."

A Thai foreign ministry spokesman said this week the Anwar
case was "an internal affair for Malaysia but we are concerned
about the recent developments."

There has been little official comment at all from the
Philippines.

Hideki Morihara, campaigner for Amnesty International in
Tokyo, said he had been seeking to meet Japanese officials to
express the group's concern.

"But it is even difficult for us to make an appointment with
the Japanese government on this matter," he added. "The Japanese
government should act more proactively towards such matters."

Outside of Asia, however, Anwar has found friends.

The U.S. State Department expressed concern about his
detention and restrictions clamped on his wife's activities.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said he was worried about
Malaysia's apparent "drift towards a more authoritarian
approach," earning a sharp rebuke from Mahathir.

French Finance Minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn said Anwar had
been "arrested in his country for defending opinions that are not
those of Dr. Mahathir."

And former British Hong Kong governor Chris Patten said Anwar
had fought for freedom and democracy, asking rhetorically: "Where
have Mr Anwar Ibrahim's friends and admirers been over the last
few days?"

Amnesty International's development coordinator for the Asia-
Pacific region, Davadass Gnanapragasam, said it was "not was very
surprising these (Asian) countries have not responded to the
situation."

Many of them, he said, had their own national security
legislation which they misused to suppress dissent.

Lamarre of Tokyo University said Japan, however, was an Asian
economic superpower "giving the image of a country that does not
fulfill its responsibilities in defending human rights."