The Burma Army is currently conducting attacks in Mone Township, Nyaunglebin District, Karen State. The operation began on 7 October as Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 599, Infantry Battalion (IB) 73 and IB 39 left Kwee Di Kaw and Maladaw camps and separated into at least two columns moving east. As of 9 October [ Read more ]

Representing rural and indigenous women from Asia, six non-governmental organisations called for endorsement of the following statement, to be submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 15) in Copenhagen, 7-18 December 2009. Recognising the influence of climate change on these women, the statement calls for recognition and protection of their economic, [ Read more ]

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed an urgent need to end caste-based discrimination. In an interview with The Nation on 26 October 2009, Navi Pillay, a former judge in South Africa, mentioned the need to create a new international convention that includes the explicit recognition of caste-based discrimination as a human rights [ Read more ]

In November 2009, FORUM-ASIA conceptualised the "Protection Plan for Human Rights Defenders at Risk" to strengthen protection and assistance for the defenders at risk in Asia. It was developed by input from the organisation's Human Rights Defender Programme and the 3rd Regional Human Rights Defenders Forum in January this year. To read the complete plan, [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA and other human rights organisations from around the world have urged delegations to the United Nations to support a resolution in the General Assembly condemning human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI), and urging the IRI to abide by its international human rights obligations. (16 November 2009) New York – Over [ Read more ]

Forty non-government organisations called on the United Nations General Assembly on 2 November to support the recommendations presented at the Human Rights Council earlier this year, in order to ensure accountability for victims of the Gaza conflict. So-called "Goldstone Report" remarked human rights violations by both Israeli forces and Hamas fighters. Forty non-government organisations called [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA is pleased to announce that United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) has agreed to support its project on Combating Impunity and Promoting Fundamental Freedoms through Civil Society Democratic Dialogue with Policy Makers in Asia for the period of two years. (Bangkok, 6 November 2009) The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development is pleased to [ Read more ]

The East Timor and IndonesiaAction Network (ETAN) urged the UN Security Council on 20 October 2009 to "hold accountable those responsible for the crimes committed during the illegal occupation of Timor-Leste". Below is their statement, endorsed by about 50 non-governmental organisations. The East Timor and IndonesiaAction Network (ETAN) urged the UN Security Council on 20 [ Read more ]

Fifty one civil society organizations from Burma today submitted a petition to the Thai government at the ASEAN People's Forum demanding an immediate halt to dam plans on the Salween River to avoid being drawn into Burma's escalating civil war. (Source: Salween Watch, 19 October 2009) Fifty one civil society organizations from Burma today submitted [ Read more ]

Under the present laws in Singapore, marital rape is not considered as rape. Individuals of the country launched the No To Rape campaign, collecting signatures for the petition below. It will be submitted to the Prime Minister, after closing on 30 November 2009. Under the present laws in Singapore, marital rape is not considered as [ Read more ]