Meeting With Donors
On July 22, 2003, the Working Group for an ASEAN Human
Rights Mechanism (Working Group) met with donor agencies
for the purpose of seeking financial support for the projects
of the Working Group. The meeting was held at the Bangkok
Marriott Resort Hotel in Thailand. Mr. Marzuki Darusman,
Chairperson of the Working Group; Prof. Vitit Muntarbhorn,
Co-Chairperson of the Working Group; Dato Param Cumaraswamy,
Mr. Praphan Hutasingh, Mr. Wigberto Tañada, Dr.
Carolina G. Hernandez, Dr. Sripapha Petcharamesree, and
Mr. Carlos Medina, Jr. attended the said meeting.
During the meeting, Darusman informed the donors’
representatives of the activities and plans of the Working
Group, including its accomplishments. Among the matters
tackled in the meeting were the key challenges and obstacles
faced by the Working Group in dealing with ASEAN; the
Working Group’s expectations from the incoming chair
of ASEAN from Indonesia, how the ASEM process has helped
the Working Group, and the plans of setting up a Southeast
Asian Human Rights Center.
Representatives from the European Union, the Norwegian
Embassy, and the UN High Commissioner specifically said
that they are interested in providing support to the Working
Group and asked to be informed of developments concerning
its work.
The following representatives from donor agencies attended
the meeting: Ms. Carol Mercado (The Asia Foundation),
Dr. Ronald Meinardus (Friedrich Naumann Foundation), Mr.
Philippine de Muelenaere (The Belgian Embassy), Mr. Jakob
Nielsen (The Royal Danish Embassy), Mr. Aron Bonanno (The
Royal Danish Embassy), Mr. Andreas List (The European
Union), Mr. Philippe Letrilliart (The French Embassy),
Ms. Ingunn Vatne (The Royal Norwegian Embassy), and Ms.
Susan Appleyard (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights).
