We urge the leaders in Myanmar, whether military, civilian, ethnic or religious, to renew their commitment to continue to protect Myanmar's democracy, which has been growing slowly, and to carefully nurture it collectively with all the peoples of Myanmar. We also encourage the international community including ASEAN to call for a peaceful democratic resolution to the current crisis.
Keep Reading →Think Centre is gravely concerned over the recent news of a Singaporean man, Cher Wei Hon, reportedly sentenced to death in Vietnam... Drug trafficking remains a serious problem in the ASEAN region. However, it is manifestly clear that the death penalty remains a poor solution to the problem. We urge countries like Singapore and Vietnam to seek a better path through collaboration and developing a better understanding of the social root causes driving drug consumption.
Keep Reading →Think Centre condemns the imminent execution of Prabagaran Srivijayan scheduled for 14th July 2017. Prior to his arrest, Prabagaran was a 24-year-old young migrant worker who crossed the border daily from Johor (Malaysia) to work in Singapore in order to support his family... The presumption of guilt in such cases, which violates the right to a fair trial in international human rights law, also means that those who maintain their innocence like Prabagaran will never fit into the criteria. We are concerned that clemency pleas may not be heard by the entire cabinet, and based only on the recommendations of standing/ad hoc committees whose constituents are unknown to the public. ...many executions are carried out in secret, raising questions about the government claims about the efficacy of the death penalty in deterring crimes.
Keep Reading →Think Centre is concerned about the prolonged detention of two Singaporean females, Ms. Quek Chin Fern and Ms. Cheryl Lim, in Johor’s Kluang Prison. They were arrested earlier this month on 19 June 2017 for shoplifting offences and were both sentenced to serve one day of imprisonment on 22 June 2017. However, despite completing their sentence, they have yet to be released by the prison authorities due to the Immigration Department of Malaysia’s intervening to extend their detention. Ms. Quek has reportedly suffered a dislocated arm since her detention however no adequate medical attention has been provided by the Malaysian authorities. It is also disturbing to learn that the Singapore’s High Commission has reportedly expressed reluctance to provide the necessary consular assistance to Ms. Quek and Ms. Lim on the basis of non-interference with another country’s matters.
Keep Reading →The 10 Asean countries are aspiring to build a single market and production base in a bid to build a highly competitive economic region.
Keep Reading →Having branded as a democratic country with respect for human rights within national and international communities, there is a high expectation on Indonesia towards its Chairmanship of ASEAN this year.
Keep Reading →Asean has committed to building a people-centred community. Vietnam will work with other members on appropriate modalities for communication and engagement with the civil society.
Keep Reading →This commission belongs to all nations of ASEAN; it belongs to the people. But if governments show disrespect that affects the dignity and authority and the functioning of this commission, then it will backfire on those who are doing it.
Keep Reading →ASEAN civil society groups feel strongly that the rejection of their democratically-selected representatives is a rejection of both civil society and the democratic process. CSO Reps were selected to meet the ASEAN leaders from over 500 CSO representatives, during the 3-day APF-ACSC, 18-20 October 2009.
Keep Reading →At 11.30 pm on Thursday night, Thai foreign ministry officials informed the delegates–– elected at a meeting of the Asean People's Forum over Oct. 18-20––that the governments of Burma, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia and the Philippines had vetoed the chosen NGO representatives.
Keep Reading →At the first interface in February 2009, the CSO called on the Asean leaders to treat them as partners and institutionalise the interface to ensure the full implementation of the Asean Charter and people-oriented community
Keep Reading →The Singapore Working Group on ASEAN (SWGA), a civil society group led by Think Centre, make recommendations on the national process of selecting the representative for the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights.
Keep Reading →UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Wednesday welcomed the endorsement by ASEAN Foreign Ministers of the terms of reference for the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights but at the same time voiced regret the new commission had no clear mandate to protect victims of abuses in the region.
Keep Reading →The Asean-based civil society organisations (CSO) are working day and night urging the drafters to include provisions to protect the human rights of 575 million Asean citizens.
Keep Reading →Most troubling for the activists is the lack of power for this regional entity to investigate rights violations among member countries and the absence of independent human rights experts to be on the body. Only officials are involved in the drafting process that lacks legitimacy and lacks people's participation.
Keep Reading →Without the protection mandate and the independent experts, the ASEAN human rights body will be a toothless tiger. ASEAN peoples deserve a better regional human rights mechanism.
Keep Reading →NGOs are not rejecting ASEAN's plan to promote human rights but stressed that the AHRB should be empowered to carry out protection work to address human rights violations in the region.
Keep Reading →ASEAN issued a rare statement expressing its grave concern over the move by the country's military junta to try Suu Kyi, and reminded the Myanmar government that ASEAN leaders had called for her immediate release.
Keep Reading →Advancing a Peoples' ASEAN, the Thai ACSC's three-day deliberations underscored challenges ASEAN must focus on for the association to be truly significant, meaningful and effective. This statement was deliver to the ASEAN leader at the first civil Society interface at ASEAN Summit, 28 Feb 2009, Hua Hin.
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