Friday, February 27, 2009

ASEAN UNDER PRESSURE OVER HUMAN RIGHTS


South-East Asian leaders are facing pressure to take firm action on human rights and halt cases of abuse against migrants and refugees, as they gather for a regional summit in Thailand.
Leaders from the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) are expected to consider plans for a regional human rights body when they begin their summit at the beach resort town of Hua Hin on Friday.
But with the global financial crisis overshadowing the meeting, talks are expected to be dominated by ways to protect the region's economies, leading to fears that human rights and in particular, concerns over the abuse of Rohingya migrants will take a back seat.
Ahead of the meeting, international rights groups called on the bloc not to ignore the wide-ranging abuses taking place across the region.
New York–based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said from the recent experience shows the approach relating to Myanmar, had shown "glaring failures".
"Burma's military government continues to deny its citizens basic freedoms, including freedom of expression, association and assembly," the group said in a statement, referring to Myanmar by its former name.
Amnesty International also urged action on rights, pointing in particular to recent allegations of abuse by the Myanmar and Thai militaries against stateless Rohingya migrants from western Myanmar.

Courtesy: Al Jazeera..more.. and Google

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