Parliamentarians from across Southeast Asia today called on ASEAN leaders to make good on commitments included in the Sunnylands Declaration, which was unveiled at the end of this week’s US-ASEAN Summit in California.
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) specifically noted commitments to strengthen democracy, promote and protect human rights, and work toward inclusive economic development, but voiced wariness over the resolve of ASEAN leaders to follow through.
“ASEAN leaders have made these kinds of commitments before, including in the ASEAN Charter, but what has come of it? Up until now, we’ve seen backsliding, rather than progress,” said APHR Chairperson and Malaysian MP Charles Santiago.
“In order for things to be different this time, ASEAN leaders must step up to the plate and make good on their promises. That means taking concrete steps, including restoring democracy in Thailand and ending the persecution of opposition leaders in Cambodia and Malaysia, among many other to-dos.” (Courtesy of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights)
February 18, 2016
Trafficked Rohingya Woman Face Risk of Repartriation to Myanmar
A lonely and helpless Rohingya woman smuggled into India by human traffickers has been currently in a Government-Run’Ladies-Shelter’ home in Dehradun city, India.
The authorities of the shelter home who are willing to repatriate her to Arakan state, Myanmar, find it difficult to do so as she has lost contacts with her relatives for a long time. She is identified to be ‘Miss Najiba daughter of Syed Alam and Noor Bahar from Kyein Chaung (Boli Bazaar) village, Maungdaw Township.
“Kindly help us find her parents (mobile number, address, etc.) so that we can repatriate her to Burma and reunite with her parents.
She seems to be a victim of human trafficking and has been rescued by the Government of India,” says in a letter written to a Rohingya Vision by Manoj Chandran, an in-charge person of the shelter home. (Courtesy of Rohingya Vision TV)
The authorities of the shelter home who are willing to repatriate her to Arakan state, Myanmar, find it difficult to do so as she has lost contacts with her relatives for a long time. She is identified to be ‘Miss Najiba daughter of Syed Alam and Noor Bahar from Kyein Chaung (Boli Bazaar) village, Maungdaw Township.
“Kindly help us find her parents (mobile number, address, etc.) so that we can repatriate her to Burma and reunite with her parents.
She seems to be a victim of human trafficking and has been rescued by the Government of India,” says in a letter written to a Rohingya Vision by Manoj Chandran, an in-charge person of the shelter home. (Courtesy of Rohingya Vision TV)
Burma President Thein Sein Cancels ASEAN Trip for Fear of Rohingya Genocide Charge
Last year in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, President Barack Obama announced that he would convene a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Late in December the White House set the date for the summit, Feb.15-16 2016 at the “Camp David of the West Coast,” Sunnylands, California. President Thein Sein of Burma was among the leaders who were confirmed for the summit. However, just four days before the summit began Thein Sein surprisingly canceled his trip and sent Vice President Nyan Htun in his place.
Originally, the reason given for the cancellation was that Thein Sein “had other business to attend to.” Since then the Burmese government has stated that President Thein Sein wouldn’t attend the two-day summit because he is committed to presiding over the “transition of political power” from his government’s military-backed rule to Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected National League for Democracy (NLD). (Courtesy of The Chicago Monitor)
Originally, the reason given for the cancellation was that Thein Sein “had other business to attend to.” Since then the Burmese government has stated that President Thein Sein wouldn’t attend the two-day summit because he is committed to presiding over the “transition of political power” from his government’s military-backed rule to Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected National League for Democracy (NLD). (Courtesy of The Chicago Monitor)
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