The Japanese House of Representatives passed on 6 June a resolution which officially classifies the Ainu people as 'indigenous peoples'. The resolution marks a momentous victory for the Ainu, who have struggled long to be recognised as such. FORUM-ASIA hails the historic victory of the Ainu people as a victory for all indigenous peoples in [ Read more ]

There had been a series of candlelight rallies in South Korea to protest the import of unsafe U.S beef, while calling for the re-negotiation of trade agreements so that it reflects the concern for health and safety of consumers. In this article, FORUM-ASIA member in Seoul, the Peoples Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, gives us a commentary [ Read more ]

On 27 May, the Government of Bahrain announced that it will ban migrant workers from Bangladesh country due to an alleged murder of a Bahrain man by a Bangladeshi. FORUM-ASIA has expressed its concern that Bahrain has chosen to condemn an entire population instead of the individual involved the crime. It has urged the government [ Read more ]

 Two statements were delivered at the 8th Human Rights Council in Geneva, on the issue of Dalits (4 June) and Tibet (6 June). Ms. Gitte Dyrhagen delivered a joint oral statement endorsed by seven organizations on the issue of Dalits and Ms. Giyoun Kim represented FORUM-ASIA and reminded the Council about the Special Session on [ Read more ]

Giyoun Kim, FORUM-ASIA representative, delivered an oral statement at the Human Rights Council on 6 June to remind it of a joint appeal letter on behalf of 75 Asian NGOs, sent on 17 March to the President and members of the Council, urging them to hold a special session on the human rights situation in [ Read more ]

A joint oral statement was presented by Gitte Dyrhagen at the 8th session of the Human Rights Council on 4 June, urging the human rights body to look into the studies of the former Sub-Commission on discrimination based on work and descent affecting 260 million people globally. The NGOs urged the Human Rights Council to [ Read more ]

A year has passed but the government has yet to unveil a plan to set up a commission to investigate the case of more than 1,000 disappeared persons. The commission is a landmark decision by the Supreme Court in June last year. Since Nepal is currently moving into a full fledge republic, the human rights [ Read more ]

On 23 April 2008, Timor Leste President of the Republic Jose Ramos Hortaannounced before members of parliament that he would pardon more than 80 convicted prisoners as part of the 20 May restoration of independence celebrations. This statement caused much debate and divided opinion. Both positive and negative responses issued from a number of circles, including [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA’s member in Cambodia, Licadho, highlights the human rights violations in a village in Phnom Penh where more than 1,000 families were violently evicted from their homes two years ago. The heinous act was conducted by police and the military armed with guns, tear gas, batons and riot shields. On the anniversary of the eviction [ Read more ]

In view of its impending national elections, Cambodian civil society organisations want the government to address the issue of political violence against political party activists and politicians. A network of 38 NGOs working on free and fair elections have highlighted the use of the judiciary and state institutions as political tools of interference in the [ Read more ]