MARUAH Singapore

8th Workshop on the ASEAN Regional Mechanism on Human Rights – Day 2

17 July 2009

The Singapore Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism (MARUAH) attended the 8th Workshop on the ASEAN Regional Mechanism on Human Rights in Bangkok, Thailand, 14-15 July 2009.

See Day 1 proceedings here.

In Day 2 of the workshop, speakers and participants discussed the following issues

Government ministries should provide logistical support to the country representatives in the proposed ASEAN Human Rights Body (AHRB)
Selection process for the country representatives to the AHRB should be transparent (Paris Principles)
Existing National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) can provide training & capacity building
Civil society will continue to adopt a watchdog role to monitor the performance of the AHRB
Civil society will be the link between governments and the public
Human rights issues should not merely be regarded as internal affairs, as there may be spillover effects on regional peace & security
Regional standards should not be used to lower standards
Role for AHRB beyond the regional – other regional bodies address national issues too, especially if national bodies are insufficient, or local remedies exhausted

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Posted by lee sze yong

8th Workshop on the ASEAN Regional Mechanism on Human Rights – Day 1

16 July 2009

The Singapore Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism (MARUAH) is attending the 8th Workshop on the ASEAN Regional Mechanism on Human Rights in Bangkok, Thailand, 14-15 July 2009.

In Day 1 of the workshop, speakers and participants discussed the following issues

ASEAN Human Rights Body (AHRB) should not be a standalone, but part of a regime, including a set of norms
Human rights should be mainstreamed across the 3 ASEAN pillars
Concept of non-interference remains, but should be viewed objectively under international law, and not subjectively
CSOs should engage the entire ASEAN structure, and not just the AHRB
A thematic approach may be more acceptable to member states
Rules of procedures will be drafted to guide the AHRB
CSOs need to move quickly to engage states on the AHRB representatives selection process
ASEAN Committee for Migrant Workers (ACMW) has not made a decision on how to deal with undocumented migrant workers
Existing UN standards should be utilised to guide ASEAN (no need to reinvent the wheel)
As all 10 ASEAN countries have ratified CEDAW and CRC, the ASEAN commission on the protection and promotion of the rights of women and children (ACWC) should have standards in-line with those UN conventions

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Posted by lee sze yong

Maruah attends the Burmese community’s celebration of Aung San Suu Kyi’s 64th birthday

23 June 2009

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Wee Yeong Wei, Braema Mathi and Alex Au (not in picture) represented Maruah Singapore at the celebrations organised by the Burmese community in Singapore to mark the 64th birthday of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. The event was held at the Burmese temple on Tai Gin Road, on Sunday, 21 June 2009.

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Statement by MARUAH on 64th birthday of Aung San Suu Kyi

19 June 2009

We wish Daw Aung San Suu Kyi a birthday where she will take comfort that we are all from different parts of the world, hoping for her release and praying for her in our own way.

We from MARUAH also take this opportunity to state that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi should have been freed by now to enjoy her birthday in the company of friends and well-wishers. She has done no wrong other than to stand in an election. The government of Myanmar must release her. We urge all ASEAN leaders to secure her release and be committed to that end. It has gone on too long – not another day more, please.

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Posted by lee sze yong

Joint Co-Chairmen’s Statement of the 17th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting

1 June 2009

ASEAN and the EU released a joint statement at the 17th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting. Below are 2 paragraphs from the statement relating to human rights in ASEAN.

24. The Ministers agreed to strengthen mutual cooperation in promoting and protecting human rights. In this regard, they welcomed the progress made by the High Level Panel on an ASEAN human rights body, which has already submitted the first draft of the terms of reference on an ASEAN human rights body to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. The Ministers also looked forward to the adoption of the terms of reference and the eventual establishment of the ASEAN human rights body. The Ministers noted the outcome of the work of the High Level Legal Experts’ Group on Follow-up to the ASEAN Charter in drafting the recommendations on the issues of the legal personality of ASEAN, the establishment of dispute settlement mechanisms and other legal issues related to the ASEAN Charter.
Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted by lee sze yong

Photos – In Unity for her Liberty: Peace Vigil for Aung San Suu Kyi

1 June 2009

Sunday, 31 May 2009, Hong Lim Park, Singapore. Organised by Maruah Singapore.

Singaporeans from all walks of life, joined by the Burmese community in Singapore, hold a peace vigil for the freedom of Aung San Suu Kyi.

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More photos after the break… Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted by yawningbread

Video – In Unity for Her Liberty: Peace Vigil for Aung San Suu Kyi

1 June 2009

Courtesy of Patrick Chng from MARUAH.

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Posted by lee sze yong

In Unity for Her Liberty: a Peace Vigil for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s Freedom

28 May 2009

Join our facebook group here.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who won the democratically-held elections in 1990, has been under house arrest for almost two decades. On 18th May 2009, she was charged with breaching the terms of her house arrest and stood trial. She has borne her trials with dignity. Yet they continue unabated. The world has honoured her with a Nobel Peace Prize and lobbied tirelessly for her freedom but there is a growing helplessness towards the situation as the Myanmar junta continues to keep her in detention without trial.

We find the situation untenable. It will be a grave injustice if we all were to stand by and let this courageous citizen spend all her days as a prisoner. She is due for release at the end of May.

Many among us know that it will not happen. We need to show ASEAN solidarity at the civil society level and act together to ask for her freedom.

Let us then come together throughout ASEAN on the same day at the same time to demand for her freedom. Can we show solidarity by wearing some yellow in our clothing, hold a candlelight vigil and let off 19 yellow-coloured balloons (one for each year she has been under arrest) with her portrait, into the skies?

Come.
Have your silence heard.

This event is jointly organised by MARUAH(SWGAHRM) with other regional NGOs.

Attached is an advisory for all parties interested in joining us for the event.

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Posted by yeongwei

Amnesty International’s 2008 report on Singapore

28 May 2009

amnesty_intl_logo Amnesty International, in the section on Singapore, part of its worldwide review for 2008, highlighted “heavy penalties and restrictive measures imposed on opposition activists, journalists and human rights defenders”. It also noted Singapore’s formal dissociation from the UN General Assembly’s resolution calling for a worldwide moratorium on the use of the death penalty