[Repost] APHR Welcomes ASEAN Special Envoy’s Intent to Engage Myanmar’s EROs, Urges Rights-Based and Inclusive Process

14 June 2026

JAKARTA, 10 June 2026—ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) welcomes the ASEAN Special Envoy and Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro’s stated intention to meet with Myanmar’s political and ethnic resistance organizations (EROs), as a potentially meaningful step toward inclusive dialogue under the Five-Point Consensus (5PC).

“The Special Envoy’s planned meetings with Myanmar’s EROs would mark a departure from the narrow, junta-centric engagement that has long undermined ASEAN’s credibility on Myanmar.. For years, resistance forces and civil society have called on ASEAN to widen its engagement beyond the military, and this initiative signals a willingness to heed that call,” said Mercy Chriesty Barends, Member of Indonesian House of Representatives, and Chairperson of APHR.

APHR urges that the engagement be guided by clear principles: transparent, rights-based, and anchored in the lived realities and democratic aspirations of the Myanmar people. Any consultations must be conducted in good faith, without preconditions that would exclude legitimate stakeholders including representatives of the National Unity Government, civil society, and affected civilian communities.

ASEAN must ensure that such dialogue is substantive, leads to concrete de-escalation measures, and is not used to legitimize or normalize the junta’s parallel “civilian” transition process. Any political roadmap that emerges must be people-centered and responsive to the aspirations of all those impacted by years of military brutality.

APHR calls on the ASEAN Special Envoy to maintain momentum, ensure full transparency with ASEAN member states and civil society, and resist pressure from member states seeking premature normalization with the military regime.

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[Post-Event] ‘Obligation to Act – Climate Change and Human Rights’ on 17 April 7.30pm, an event by SG Climate Rally and Maruah

19 April 2026

SG Climate Change Rally and MARUAH organised an engaging and productive forum on the Obligation to Act, Climate Change and Human Rights on 17 April 2026 at The Arts And Civil Space.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our panel discussion on climate change and human rights.

This session was co-organised by MARUAH and SG Climate Rally. We are both grateful for the opportunity to bring together diverse voices on an issue that affects communities in Singapore and beyond.

A special thank you to our moderator, Yong Feng, for guiding the conversation so thoughtfully. We are also deeply appreciative of our panelists, Betty Lau-Khoo Kingsley, Debby Giam and Clara Feng, for their rich and candid contributions. These included mapping out the interconnections between climate and human rights, emphasising empowerment, multi-stakeholder approaches, and the importance of preventive action. The lively discussion brought out both the complexity of the issues and the urgency of the work ahead for everyone.

It was also a helpful reminder that many of us encounter these challenges in parts. Conversations like this allow us to see the bigger picture better.

To all participants, thank you for your thoughtful questions and engagement. We hope this is just the start of continued dialogue and collective action towards a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future.

We look forward to meeting everyone at our future events.

Thank you once again for being part of this important conversation.

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Posted by jamestan2019