The ASEAN Human Rights Body: MARUAH Organizes Public Forum

 

Prof. Vitit shares his thoughts on the ASEAN human rights body.

The U.N.’s work on human rights issues worldwide remains relevant but the ASEAN human rights body, once created, can provide an alternative in addressing violations in the region. In order to raise public consciousness on the ASEAN human rights body in the city-state, MARUAH Singapore, with the support of the Asia-Europe Foundation, held a forum on June 11, 2008.

Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn, co-chair of the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism (Working Group), gave a background on the U.N. and ASEAN. On ASEAN, he reminded the audience that it was not primarily a human rights organization but a political body with a bigger impetus for economics. “In spite of this, ASEAN has the potential to address human rights issues in creative and innovative ways,” he said.

An opportunity for the regional bloc to do so is with the creation of the ASEAN human rights body, which is promised for in the ASEAN Charter. Prof. Vitit, who is also the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights issues in North Korea, said that a regional mechanism can voice out the region's human rights concerns more forcefully and articulately. In addition, it can “provide more resources” when national systems are unable to offer remedies and because the U.N. “is so far away”.

A full house listens to Prof. Vitit's lecture.

A lively discussion with academics, civil society activists, students, government officials and diplomats ensued on topics as varied as: if the ASEAN way of deciding by consensus would be a stumbling block for the creation of the human rights body, the manner by which it can address human rights issues from the ground, and how it will be funded. On the latter, Prof. Vitit pointed out that ASEAN had the resources and that “it just needs political will and proper allocation”.

The forum was organized by MARUAH, a group of individuals who have made a commitment to inform and facilitate, from a Singaporean perspective, the establishment of an ASEAN human rights mechanism. It is the Singapore focal point for the region-wide Working Group.

Read more about the forum on the ASEAN human rights body from the MARUAH Singapore website, the ASEF website, and The Strait Times.