Geneva-based NGOs are seeking the urgent intervention of United Nations Human Rights Council President Doru Costea on the safety of two Special Rapporteurs from Pakistan in the wake of the country's marshal law tension. Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir, has already been placed under arrest, while it is feared that [ Read more ]

Geneva-based NGOs are seeking the urgent intervention of United Nations Human Rights Council President Doru Costea on the safety of two Special Rapporteurs from Pakistan in the wake of the country's marshal law tension. Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir, has already been placed under arrest, while it is feared that [ Read more ]

As the 13th ASEAN Summit in Singapore is around the corner, civil society organisations have highlighted that the ASEAN Charter cannot be signed if the people's voices are left out from the process.  This month, the leaders of Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) at its 13th ASEAN Summit in Singapore will sign the “ASEAN [ Read more ]

As the 13th ASEAN Summit in Singapore is around the corner, civil society organisations have highlighted that the ASEAN Charter cannot be signed if the people's voices are left out from the process.  This month, the leaders of Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) at its 13th ASEAN Summit in Singapore will sign the “ASEAN [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA and its member organisations has denounced strongly the proclamation of a state of emergency in Pakistan and the arrest of human rights defenders that followed in a statement issued on 5 November. The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and its member organisations all over Asia strongly denounce the proclamation of a [ Read more ]

Nepal is heading for turmoil once again as the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) left the interim coalition government. The suspension of the Constituent Assembly elections has made the path to peace increasingly difficult. The first victim of their action seems to be the disruption of the one-year-old peace agreement between the Communist Party of [ Read more ]

The Burmese government has announced that it will allow the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar to visit the country.  FORUM-ASIA welcomes the announcement, but stresses the need for full cooperation by the Burmese authorities if the visit is to be effective. FORUM-ASIA welcomes the announcement that the Burmese government [ Read more ]

The international community’s response to recent events in Burma has demonstrated a collective will to see peaceful dialogue and democratic reform within the country. Furthermore, ASEAN is increasingly seen by the international community as the key body to bring outside pressure to bear on the intransigent military generals. It is now up to ASEAN to [ Read more ]

The international community’s response to recent events in Burma has demonstrated a collective will to see peaceful dialogue and democratic reform within the country. Furthermore, ASEAN is increasingly seen by the international community as the key body to bring outside pressure to bear on the intransigent military generals. It is now up to ASEAN to [ Read more ]

The fifth public hearing of Indonesia and Timor Leste joint Commission of Truth and Friendship (CTF) is calling for justice for victims of the 1999 referendum who have been ignored, as perpetrators are on the verge of getting amnesty as a sign of good will by CTF. FORUM-ASIA members and partners grilled the Commission to [ Read more ]