Odhikar's report on human rights situation of the month of May 2009 highlighted that extrajudicial killings continue in spite of the government's promise of "zero tolerance". Since the alliance led by the Awami-League started to be in office in January this year, the Bangladesh-based organisation, a FORUM-ASIA member, notes that there have been 29 reports [ Read more ]

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) reported that there are now 2,155 political prisoners in Burma. Below is its monthly summary of current situation, issued on 8 June 2009. Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) reported that there are now 2,155 political prisoners in Burma. Below is its monthly summary of current situation, issued on [ Read more ]

On 26 May 2009 the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) called on ASEAN to suspend Burma's membership in the association until Aung San Suu Kyi is released. Below is their statement, saying that "ASEAN must assume its responsibility". On 26 May 2009 the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) called on ASEAN to suspend Burma's membership [ Read more ]

Civil society organisations, including two FORUM-ASIA members, called on the National Election Commission to include human rights in presidential and vice presidential candidates' debate. Their letter below, written on 4 January 2009, says that protection of human rights must be a political commitment, not lip service. Civil society organisations, including two FORUM-ASIA members, called on [ Read more ]

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) by the Malaysian government ignored "gross abuses of power by the police and other law enforcement agencies", said FORUM-ASIA and other civil society organisations on 12 June 2009, at the 11th Session of the UN Human Rights Council. The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) by the Malaysian government ignored "gross abuses [ Read more ]

To ban mourners of the former president of South Korea from entering the Seoul Square, which has seen the centre of democracy movement in South Korea, the police barricaded the square. People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD), FORUM-ASIA member in South Korea, launched the "Return agora to people" campaign. Below is their press statement posted [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA calls on all ASEAN foreign ministers to "adopt a TOR (Terms of Reference) of ASEAN human rights body that is up to international human rights standards".  The coming 42nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) on 16-17 July 2009 in Thailand will be the momentum for the new human rights regime in ASEAN. On those dates, [ Read more ]

A human rights organisation in India has accused the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India of  not playing its role when its response to complaints by NGOs was unsatisfactory. "The directive of the Commission was not only shocking but it was in total disregard of mandates given", said Kirity Roy, Secretary of Kolkata-based human [ Read more ]

Prompted by civil society, 11th Special Session of the UN Human Rights Council on human rights situation in Sri Lanka was held on 26-27 May 2009 in Geneva, Switzerland. FORUM-ASIA delivered a statement on the second day, highlighting the lack of access to internally displaced persons camps and increase of "uninvestigated killings and disappearances". Prompted [ Read more ]

After two years of intensive consultation, the Task Force on ASEAN Migrant Workers (TF-AMW) has formally proposed a detailed civil society Framework Instrument for the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers to Khamkhane Phinsavanh, Chairperson of the ASEAN Senior Labour Officials Meeting (SLOM) at the Lao Plaza Hotel in Vientiane, Lao PDR, [ Read more ]