The Asean Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus
(AIPMC) on Thursday called on Asean to delay the putting of its draft
declaration on human rights before the foreign ministers of members states next
month pending a fully inclusive, meaningful and transparent consultation of
civil society and other stakeholders.
The
Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) is due to meet in
Rangoon on June 3–6 as it continues a series of closed-door meetings for the
drafting of this vital declaration. It plans to place the draft ASEAN human
rights declaration (AHRD) before Asean foreign ministers at the end of June.
AIPMC
said it is extremely concerned by the secrecy in which the drafting process has
been shrouded. The transparency and level of consultation with NGOs and civil
society has been sadly lacking to date.
“The
discussion of human rights cannot be complete or credible without meaningful
input from civil society and national human rights institutions and AIPMC fully
understands the frustrations of civil society organizations in being shut out
of the drafting process,” it said.
"Hosting
this meeting in Myanmar is a brave step. Grave human rights concerns remain in
that country, as they do in many Asean states today," said Eva Kusuma
Sundari, AIPMC President and Indonesian Member of Parliament. "It is
regrettable that the process for drafting this most important of declarations
is being carried out in a less than transparent manner -- we are missing an
opportunity to set the tone for a more inclusive Asean that truly regards human
rights as a guiding pillar for progress. The principles of transparency,
accountability, and consultation have been sadly lacking."
AIPMC
welcomed AICHR's planned consultation with NGOs in June, but said it believes
the drafting process to date has fallen far short of international standards
and must be conducted in a more open and transparent manner, that allows for
the input from an active, intelligent and capable civil society during the
drafting process, not after it is already complete.
“AICHR
should make the draft of the declaration publicly available and postpone the
draft reading by Asean foreign ministers in June pending a full and meaningful
consultation with Asean civil society,” it said. AIPMC called on AICHR to
formulate a meaningful process by which the views of broad-based civil society
organizations representing the full range of human rights can be heard and
incorporated into a genuine declaration on rights that is fully comprehensive
and is genuine in its attempts to meet the aspirations and needs of the people
of Asean.
The
Asean region continues to go through rapid political and economic development
and change, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Burma, it said.
The
AHRD is, in the words of the Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan, supposed
to be the "road-map for regional human rights development" for years
to come, it said in a statement. “If the future of ASEAN is its people, then
this week, AICHR has the opportunity to lead by example, and arrange for open
and consultative meetings with local NGOs and civil society actors, from all walks
of life in Myanmar,” it said.
"The
people of Myanmar have been seeking a voice for generations. Real hope is
descending on parts of the country, but there are still serious concerns
regarding the civil, political and economic rights of the people. This week,
AICHR has the opportunity to engage with the people of Myanmar and give them a
voice in the region's future," said Son Chhay, AIPMC Vice President and
member of the Cambodian Parliament.
"How
can a 'human rights commission' operate while continually refusing to talk to
those whose rights it is supposed to protect? Something does not sit right when
ASEAN's leading human rights proponents are sitting in Yangon writing their
human rights declaration, while a few hundred kilometres away in Kachin State,
a vicious war is being fought, where people are being raped and killed, and
allegations of forced military porters, targeting of civilians and other human
rights abuses are rife. Can they really sit there and right the charter that is
supposed to be defending the rights of these people without bothering to
consult them? The way in which this declaration is drafted is of immense
significance – it must be done in a transparent manner and with the
consultation of the people of all member states," Son Chhay said.
AIPMC
called on the members of AICHR to arrange for consultation with local civil
society actors in Burma when it meets there this week.
“Of
grave concern is that rather than set standards above existing international
human rights law, the ASEAN declaration could in fact fall short of current
standards in human rights and therefore undermine the rights of ASEAN people as
currently guaranteed by international legal instruments,” it said.
AIPMC
backed recent calls made by scores of regional and international human rights
observers for Asean to adopt a more inclusive and transparent approach to the
drafting of its human rights declaration. These included: the immediate
publication of the draft AHRD to allow for meaningful public participation in
the drafting process; the widening of existing national consultation processes
being held by AICHR representatives in their respective countries that take
into account varying national and regional aspirations and issues; the
translation of the draft AHRD into all local languages of ASEAN to ensure broad
public participation in the drafting process; and to ensure any future
consultation meetings are inclusive of all stakeholders, particularly civil society
organizations and human rights institutions.
"It
feels somehow as if we are missing a great opportunity to shape Asean for the
better. The Asean human rights declaration is a vital step for the region and
while there is still hope that we are moving in the right direction, so far, we
are failing to stand up for the rights of the people as we should be,"
said Yusmadi Yusoff, AIPMC member and Malaysian Member of Parliament.
AIPMC
– The Asean Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus
is a network formed in 2004 by and for parliamentarians from the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations countries. The aim is to advocate for human rights and
democratic reform in Myanmar/Burma.
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