OPEN LETTER TO ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS AT INFORMAL ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS
\nMEETING (IAMM) ON THE ASEAN HUMAN RIGHTS DECLARATION<\/p>\n
To,<\/p>\n
1. His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
\nBrunei Darussalam<\/p>\n
2. His Excellency Hor Namhong, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cambodia<\/p>\n
3. His Excellency Dr. Marty Natalegawa, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
\nIndonesia<\/p>\n
4. \u00a0His Excellency Dr. Thongloun Sisoulith, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
\nLaos PDR<\/p>\n
5. His Excellency Dato’ Sri Anifah Aman, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
\nMalaysia<\/p>\n
6. His Excellency U Wunna Maung Lwin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Myanmar<\/p>\n
7. His Excellency Albert F. Del Rosario, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, the
\nPhilippines<\/p>\n
8. His Excellency K. Shanmugam, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Singapore<\/p>\n
9. His Excellency Dr. Surapong Tovichakchaikul, Minister of Foreign
\nAffairs, Thailand<\/p>\n
10. \u00a0His Excellency, Pham Binh Minh, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vietnam<\/p>\n
cc to<\/p>\n
1. \u00a0 \u00a0 His Excellency Om Yentieng, Chair of ASEAN Intergovernmental
\nCommission on Human Rights<\/p>\n
2. \u00a0 \u00a0 His Excellency Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary General of ASEAN<\/p>\n
Date: 26 September 2012<\/p>\n
Your Excellencies,<\/p>\n
We, the undersigned organizations, thank the ASEAN Intergovernmental
\nCommission on Human Rights (AICHR) for holding the second consultation
\nmeeting with civil society on the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD) in
\nManila on 12 September 2012. For the first time in this meeting, civil
\nsociety organizations were able to make comments and inputs based on the
\nactual official draft of the declaration dated 23 June 2012. This is a
\npositive step in the right direction in enhancing transparency and public
\nparticipation and the AICHR must be encouraged to continue to strengthen
\nand expand such practices in the future and in other areas of its works.<\/p>\n
In reviewing the draft declaration dated 23 June 2012, we are however very
\nconcerned with some of what we perceive are serious flaws in the document.
\nIf the draft declaration is to be adopted in its current form, it will fall
\nbelow international human rights law and standards. This certainly does not
\nbode well for the reputation and credibility of the ASEAN human rights
\nmechanism, the first of its kind in the Asia Pacific region.<\/p>\n
In view of your upcoming meeting on 27 September 2012 in New York to review
\nthe AHRD and that the AHRD will be adopted officially at the 21st ASEAN
\nSummit in November 2012, we would like to urgently draw your attentions to
\nsome of these \u00a0infirmities \u00a0in the draft declaration.<\/p>\n
Firstly, Article 7 of the draft declaration attempts to bring back the
\ndiscourse of “Asian Values” and “regional particularities” by stipulating “the
\nrealization of human rights must be considered in the regional and national
\ncontext bearing in mind different political, economic, legal, social,
\ncultural, historical and religious backgrounds.” \u00a0This clearly runs
\ncontrary to the principle of the universality of human rights as enshrined
\nin the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action in 1993, which stated
\nthat “While
\nthe significance of national and regional particularities and various
\nhistorical, cultural and religious backgrounds must be borne in mind, it is
\nthe duty of States, regardless of their political, economic and cultural
\nsystems, to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms.”<\/p>\n
Secondly, Article 6 of the draft declaration stipulates “the enjoyment of
\nhuman rights and fundamental freedoms must be balanced with the performance
\nof corresponding duties as every person has responsibilities to all other
\nindividuals, the community and the society where one lives.” While
\ninternational human rights law and standards acknowledge that every person
\nhas responsibilities to his or her community, the notion of
\n“balancing”them against human rights is alien to the concept of
\n“inalienable” human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of
\nHuman Rights (UDHR). No existing international or regional human rights
\ninstrument seeks to define a mutual relationship in terms of
\n“balancing”the human rights of individuals on the one hand and their
\n“duties” or “responsibilities” on the other. ASEAN must not denigrate
\nitself in the international community by adopting this stance.<\/p>\n
Thirdly, Article 8 subjects all the rights proclaimed in the declaration to
\nlimitations based on considerations such as “the just requirements of
\nnational security, public order, public health, public safety, public
\nmorality, as well as the general welfare of the peoples in a democratic
\nsociety.” This sweeping provision ignores the non-derogability of certain
\nrights as well as the very narrow scope for restrictions allowed under
\ninternational law and standards on others.<\/p>\n
Fourthly, several universally recognised rights are not included in the
\ndraft declaration, among them the right to self-determination and the
\nprohibition of enforced disappearance. Rights of specific marginalised
\ngroups, such as indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, minorities,
\nmigrant workers, domestic workers (both local and migrant) and gay,
\nlesbian, bi-sexual and transgender peoples are glaringly missing from the
\ndocument as well.<\/p>\n
ASEAN should learn the lessons from the Arab League of States and avoid
\nproclaiming regional human rights declaration that is below international
\nhuman rights law and standards. The Arab Charter of Human Rights released
\nby the Arab League of States in 1994 ran in contradiction with human rights
\nand stirred controversial debates on its credibility. This resulted in no
\nratification by Member States of the said Charter.<\/p>\n
We therefore urge you to immediately address the flaws of the draft
\ndeclaration by adopting our recommendations as outlined in our submission
\nto AICHR to remedy the serious flaws in the draft declaration. This shall
\ninclude amending the sub-standard General Principles, ensuring that it
\nincludes the full spectrum of human rights and adopting a final clause that
\nexplicitly and unequivocally precludes the interpretation of the
\nDeclaration as providing lower protections than the Universal Declaration
\nof Human Rights (UDHR), Vienna Declaration and Program of Action (VDPA) or
\ninternational human rights treaties to which ASEAN Member States are party.<\/p>\n
For other concerns with regards to the draft declaration and our
\ncorresponding recommendations, we encourage you to refer to our submission
\nmade to the AICHR on 12 September 2012 as attached.<\/p>\n
We entreat you to uphold the highest standards in your deliberation of the
\nASEAN Human Rights Declaration. It is our hope that the Declaration will
\nresult in both the promotion and protection of human rights such that the
\nfull realization of human dignity and a higher quality of life for ASEAN
\npeoples can be truly achieved.<\/p>\n
It is time for ASEAN to be in step with the rest of the world in Human
\nRights promotion and protection.<\/p>\n
Sincerely,<\/p>\n
1. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara<\/p>\n
2. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Amnesty International Philippines<\/p>\n
3. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Arus Pelangi Indonesia<\/p>\n
4. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 ASEAN Disability Forum<\/p>\n
5. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 ASEAN SOGI Network<\/p>\n
6. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 ASEAN Watch Thailand<\/p>\n
7. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearance<\/p>\n
8. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASI<\/p>\n
9. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact<\/p>\n
10. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Asia-Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC)<\/p>\n
11. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Asylum Access Thailand<\/p>\n
12. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Balay Rehabilitation Centre<\/p>\n
13. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC)<\/p>\n
14. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association<\/p>\n
15. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Cambodian Food and Service Workers’ Federation (CFSWF)<\/p>\n
16. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Cambodian Workers Centre for Development (CWCD)<\/p>\n
17. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Cambodia Youth Network (CYN)<\/p>\n
18. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Center for Advocacy, Learning and Livelihood (CALL) Foundation of
\nthe Blind Inc.<\/p>\n
19. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Centre for Migrant Advocacy<\/p>\n
20. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Child Rights Coalition Asia<\/p>\n
21. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Coalition of Cambodian Farmer Community (CFCC)<\/p>\n
22. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Development Environment Community Association<\/p>\n
23. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era<\/p>\n
24. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Disabled Peoples International \/Asia Pacific<\/p>\n
25. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC\/SEA)<\/p>\n
26. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Government Union for the Integration of Differently-Abled
\nEmployees of the Philippines(GUIDE)<\/p>\n
27. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Independent Democratic of Informal Economic Association (IDEA)<\/p>\n
28. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Indigenous Peoples Task Force on ASEAN<\/p>\n
29. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Indonesian LGBTIQ Forum<\/p>\n
30. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Initiatives for International Dialogue<\/p>\n
31. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC)<\/p>\n
32. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Kampanya Para sa Makataong Pamumuhay<\/p>\n
33. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Katipunan Ng Maykapansanansa Pilipinas, Inc.<\/p>\n
34. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Jakarta (Jakarta Legal Aid Institute)<\/p>\n
35. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Malaysian Bar Council<\/p>\n
36. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Mekong Legal Network<\/p>\n
37. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Migrant Forum in Asia<\/p>\n
38. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Mindanao Human Rights Action Center<\/p>\n
39. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Myanmar People’s Forum (MPF)<\/p>\n
40. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Network of Indigenous Peoples of Thailand (NIPT)<\/p>\n
41. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0NGO Coordinating Committee on Development (NGO-COD) – Thailand<\/p>\n
42. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0People’s Empowerment Foundation<\/p>\n
43. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Philippines Alliance of Human Rights Advocates<\/p>\n
44. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Philippines Coalition for the International Criminal Court<\/p>\n
45. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Philippines Coalition on the United Nations Conventions on the
\nRights of Persons with Disabilities<\/p>\n
46. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The Philippine NGO Coalition on the UN Convention on the Rights of
\nthe Child<\/p>\n
47. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Southeast Asian Committee for Advocacy<\/p>\n
48. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)<\/p>\n
49. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Sulong Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program ER<\/p>\n
50. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Task Force Detainees of the Philippines<\/p>\n
51. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence
\n(KontraS)<\/p>\n
52. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Thai Committee for Refugees Foundation (TCR)<\/p>\n
53. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Thai Volunteer Service Foundation<\/p>\n
54. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Think Center<\/p>\n
55. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Women’s Legal and Human Rights Bureau<\/p>\n
56. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Woman Health Philippines<\/p>\n
57. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Women’s Legal Education Association<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
OPEN LETTER TO ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS AT INFORMAL ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING (IAMM) ON THE ASEAN HUMAN RIGHTS DECLARATION To, 1. His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Brunei Darussalam 2. His Excellency Hor Namhong, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cambodia 3. His Excellency Dr. Marty Natalegawa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia 4. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"","ocean_second_sidebar":"","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"","ocean_custom_header_template":"","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"","ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[116,107,149],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-asean","category-press-release","category-press-release_english","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n