Lao Voices

Yesterday, Brunei, Laos and Malaysia have joined Singapore in ratifying the Association of Southeast Asian Nations charter that provides for the creation of a human rights body.

This ASEAN Charter sprouts from three important earlier declarations in the Vientiane Action Programme, the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the Establishment of the ASEAN Charter and the Cebu Declaration on the Blueprint of the ASEAN Charter.

In conformity with the purposes and principles of the ASEAN Charter relating to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, ASEAN will establish an ASEAN human rights body.

Such a body is not automatic. The powers, functions, mandate, as well as details of such body, depends on the terms of reference (TOR) that still has to be drawn up.

Rights activists are concerned the human rights body would lack powers and be packed with government appointees. Much work needs to be done such as the Charter ratification by Myanmar which will not be a light task. However, human rights are placed on the agenda of ASEAN and Laos and that is truly good news.