Southeast Asia slammed for human rights abuses in new US report
Southeast Asia slammed for human rights abuses in new US report
Agence France-Presse
Washington
From military-ruled Myanmar to the free-wheeling democracy of the
Philippines, Southeast Asia came under fire for human rights
violations in a new report released on Monday by the U.S. State
Department.
Only Singapore and Brunei from the 10-member Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were spared criticism in the U.S.
State Department's report entitled Supporting Human Rights and
Democracy: The U.S. Record 2003-2004.
The report criticized Myanmar's military junta for continuing
to be hostile to all forms of political opposition.
It also accused the junta of extrajudicial killings and rape,
forcibly relocating persons, using forced labor, conscripting
child soldiers and reestablishing forced conscription of the
civilian population into militia units.
The report came as President George W. Bush extended for
another year trade and investment sanctions on Myanmar and the
junta launched a national convention without first releasing
democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
More than 1,000 people continue to languish in Myanmar's jails
"for the peaceful expression of their political views," the
report said.
It also hit out at the "poor" human rights record of
Indonesia, Cambodia and Laos.
The report said although Indonesia made progress in its
transition from decades of repression and authoritarian rule to a
more pluralistic and representative democracy, its "overall human
rights record remained poor."
Soldiers and police officers committed widespread violations,
including extrajudicial killings and torture, notably in Aceh and
Papua Provinces, according to the report.
It added that "a weak and corrupt judicial system frequently
failed to hold violators accountable."
The report noted that the Indonesian military took greater
steps to punish human rights abusers within its ranks but -- as
with the civilian justice system -- the punishment in many cases
did not match the offense.
In Cambodia, the State Department questioned "political
killings" and what it called a climate of impunity for violence.
"There were credible reports that some members of the security
forces tortured, beat and otherwise abused persons in custody,
often to extract confessions," it said.
More than 380 new rights abuses cases were filed in Cambodian
courts during the past year, including unlawful arrests,
extrajudicial killings and threats and intimidation, including
political threats.
In Laos, the security forces were accused of abusing
detainees, especially those suspected of insurgent or anti-
government activity.
The people of Laos lacked basic freedoms, including freedom of
speech and expression, with the communist government controlling
the domestic media, it said. Several political prisoners remain
in Lao jails, serving long sentences.
The report cited human rights abuses in Malaysia which it said
resulted from the government's policy of restriction on certain
political and civil rights.
"This policy has led to certain human rights abuses, including
detention of persons without charge or trial, limits on the
impartiality and independence of the judiciary and restrictions
on freedom of the press, association, assembly and religion," it
said.
The report said the judiciary had been undermined and accused
police of human rights abuses.
In the Philippines, the State Department said, security forces
were responsible for "extrajudicial killings, disappearances,
torture and arbitrary arrest and detention."
Also cited were widespread corruption in the judicial system
and police forces.
The report on Thailand also focused on extrajudicial killings,
with the government criticized for the largely unresolved 1,386
narcotic-related deaths during a three-month state sanctioned war
on drugs last year.
The Vietnam government was accused of "significantly"
restricting freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly and
association.