As Southeast Asia’s most ethnically homogenous nation, minorities in Cambodia are challenged with being different from the Khmer majority. Challenges range from land grabbing, to citizenship to denial of basic social and economic rights. The people of Cambodia, now faced with the challenges of rapid development and rebuilding a nation, continue to show unparalleled resilience [ Read more ]

Twenty women from ten countries working in conflict areas attended the workshop “UN Security Council 1325: Making it work in Asia” on 27-28 November. The aim of the workshop was to discuss how to apply the resolution 1325, raise issues faced by women in armed conflict regions and to facilitate networking between human rights defenders [ Read more ]

Burma’s rejection of a proposed briefing of UN special envoy to Burma before the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been downplayed in the context of the group’s annual summit that saw the signing of a draft charter. This rejection however significantly impacts the group’s role in the transition to democracy, [ Read more ]

The Solidarity for Asian People’s Advocacy (SAPA) Working Group on ASEAN has brought together a multitude of civil society perspectives in its criticism of the newly signed ASEAN Charter. The Solidarity for Asian People’s Advocacy (SAPA) Working Group on ASEAN obtained a copy of the draft ASEAN Charter when it was leaked to the media [ Read more ]

Despite its failings, the new ASEAN Charter offers some hope for the promotion and protection of human rights at the regional intergovernmental level. 20 November 2007 saw the signing of the ASEAN Charter by the organisation’s leaders at the 13th Annual Summit in Singapore. The Charter now moves to the national parliaments of the ASEAN [ Read more ]

The SAPA Working Group on ASEAN in Singapore condemned the southeast Asian governments for washing its hands off Burma. They said that the Burmese military junta has slapped the face of ASEAN by insisting that the political turmoil was an internal matter. (20 November 2007, Singapore) Representatives of the Solidarity for Asia People’s Advocacies (SAPA) [ Read more ]

Representatives of the Solidarity for Asian People’s Advocacy  (SAPA) Working Group on ASEAN released press briefing on 19 November in Singapore in parallel to the 13th ASEAN Summit voicing their question on the legitimacy of the Charter drafting process. They also highlighted that the Charter lacks the mechanism to deal with Burma. (19 November 2007, [ Read more ]

The leaders of ASEAN have failed to use the occasion of the signing of a new ASEAN Charter to move forward on human rights in Burma. National parliaments must delay ratification of the Charter until concrete progress on Burma is made. Parliamentarians should also seek out the views of the citizens they claim to represent [ Read more ]

Minority children in Southeast Asia have less access to rights guaranteed by the Convention on the Rights of the Child than the general population. Cooperation from all sectors of society is required if the ideals of child rights are to be turned into a reality for all. Universal Children’s Day falls on 20 November each [ Read more ]

The General Election Commission of Mongolia has decided to propose an amendment to the country’s election legislation. If the Parliament approves the proposal, Mongolian citizens living outside the country will be unable to participate in elections due to take place next year. FORUM-ASIA urges the State Great Khural (Parliament) of Mongolia to ensure that the [ Read more ]