Southeast Asian nations inaugurated a human rights commission Friday which was immediately blasted by representatives of civil society organizations who walked out of a meeting to protest being cold-shouldered by five regional regimes.  A shadow was immediately cast over the body when the governments of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore and the Philippines rejected members of civil society groups from their respective countries they had been scheduled to meet, said Debbie Stothard of The ASEAN People’s Forum, an umbrella group of non-governmental organizations.  The governments said they would not take part in the dialogue if the five activists were present, she said. Instead, Singapore and Myanmar flew in substitutes from government-sponsored agencies, with Myanmar including a former high-ranking police officer, Stothard said.  When the meeting took place without the original civil society representatives, those from Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia walked out in protest.

Source: AFP

After the opening ceremony, the representatives of the 10 summit nations signed into being the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights.  Correspondents say the new commission is in part a response to criticism that the region is soft on human rights abuses by member nations such as Burma.

But observers have queried whether it will have sufficient powers to make a real difference.  The commission has no power to punish members such as Burma who violate rights and is meant to promote rather than protect human rights, activists say.  Rights campaigners have said half the Asean governments have rejected representatives nominated by regional rights groups for the commission and replaced them with their own. 

This appears to be a feel-good gesture – not to make campaigners feel better, but for the leaders to sleep better at night.

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Tell Singapore government: Ask them a question or give a suggestion

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See: 3in1 Kopitiam, Sam’s Alfresco Coffee, Singapore Kopitiam, SgForums
Our responses to some of the comments are listed below. If we are not answering some other specific questions, that is because we do not know how.
 
1. If you want [...]

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