HLTF Advances with ASEAN Charter Draft, Continues Chapter on ASEAN’S Organs

The High Level Task Force continues to draft the ASEAN Charter in their 7th meeting held in Bali.

The High-Level Task Force (HLTF) on the Drafting of the ASEAN Charter recently met in Bali, Indonesia on 26-28 June 2007 to continue the discussion on the ASEAN Charter. Among those discussed by the HLTF was the Chapter on “Organs” which will include a draft provision on the establishment of an ASEAN Human Rights Commission.

Previously, on the occasion of their retreat in Siem Reap, Cambodia, ASEAN foreign ministers had directed the HLTF to include a draft provision subject to the submission of terms of reference.

The Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism (Working Group) welcomes these developments in the Charter. It can be recalled that, as early as 2000, the Working Group had written a draft of a possible “Agreement on the Establishment of an ASEAN Human Rights Commission”. This was submitted to ASEAN senior officials during the 33rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) in Thailand.

Co-Chair Darusman confers with HLTF Chair Ambassador Rosario Manalo

The Working Group has also co-organized workshops and roundtable discussions on the regional human rights mechanism with host ASEAN governments and national human rights commissions. These activities were aimed at aiding the establishment of an “appropriate regional mechanism on human rights” which ASEAN foreign ministers had envisioned during the 26th AMM.

The ASEAN Charter will codify ASEAN norms, rules, and values which include the promotion of democracy, human rights and obligations, transparency and good governance. ASEAN heads of state declared their commitment in 2005 to establish an ASEAN Charter. They had appointed the HLTF, consisting of distinguished statespersons from each ASEAN member-state, to draft the Charter.