A weak draft Declaration on Human Rights threatens to derail progress
towards full economic integration
With Asean leaders struggling to
make the community anything but a people-centred organisation, alarm bells
should be ringing in its citizens' ears. Since the Asean Charter came into
force in 2008, member countries have used all sorts of excuses in their efforts
to avoid compliance. This is not a good sign for the future success of the
Asean Economic Community, which will launch in three years' time. Most Asean
members continue to pay lip service to the concerns of their own citizens,
while avoiding the question of their rights.
Cambodia, as the bloc's current
chair, wants to ensure that the draft Asean Declaration on Human Rights (ADHR)
is approved at next month's summit. Everything in the build-up to the summit
has been geared towards this objective. But rights groups based in Asean have
attacked the draft for not reflecting the kind of universal values that member
countries have previously pledged to pursue and uphold.
The draft is undoubtedly
substandard and should be delayed and reviewed. If passed, it will be a future
cause of shame for the regional community.
Asean should take note of the
recent awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union. The EU provides
a model of good practices and people-oriented policies that have been
successful in helping achieve strong democracies and respect for human rights.
So far these objectives are still elusive for Asean members.
We are on the brink of becoming
an economically integrated region with free movement of goods, services,
investment, skilled labour and capital. But what will be the use of this if 620
million people are denied protection from state-sponsored abuse?
This is the new dilemma facing
the community. Asean is now more diverse than ever, and each member country is
inclined to follow its own national interests rather than making sacrifices in
order to forge a greater common objective. As such, it is more difficult than
ever for Asean to achieve a consensus on the sensitive issue of its citizens'
rights.
Meanwhile civil-rights groups are
becoming more pragmatic in their demands - though they still have work to do on
this. Some continue to set unrealistic benchmarks and retain a narrow-minded
focus on their own concerns, without seeing the bigger picture. As a result,
Asean leaders continue to dismiss their contributions to the debate on rights.
For the Asean grouping to become
a true single community imbued with a unified spirit, its leaders must first
share a common vision and objectives. How can they do this when some continue
to oppress their own people beneath a veneer of democracy and decency? Given
the rapid spread of universal human values in our globalised world, there is no
place for complacency anymore. Asean's members have to move ahead and bridge
the gaps that still exist in all spheres of their engagement - economic,
political and social. It is a tall order, but Asean must forge ahead with the
resilience and determination that has over the past 45 years transformed this
organisation into the region's most important player.
Indeed, the time has come for
Asean to recognise the role of civil society and rights groups. Asean leaders
must engage them in a wider debate to find the best practical ideas for
securing the rights of citizens.
The Asean Community will truly
serve its people only when its leaders heed their voices. Otherwise Asean will
remain a second-rate intergovernmental organisation.
Business & Investment Opportunities
YourVietnamExpert is a division of Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd, Incorporated in Singapore since 1994. As Your Business Companion, we propose a range of services in Strategy, Investment and Management, focusing Healthcare and Life Science with expertise in ASEAN. Since we are currently changing the platform of www.yourvietnamexpert.com, you may contact us at: sbc.pte@gmail.com, provisionally. Many thanks.
No comments:
Post a Comment