Public invited for drafting of Asean Human Rights Declaration on Saturday

By SHAILA KOSHY

KUALA LUMPUR: Members of the public and national civil society organisations are invited to a consultation on the draft Asean Human Rights Declaration on Saturday.

The three-hour long national consultation at the Institute of Diplomacy & Foreign Relations along Jalan Wisma Putra here commences at 10am.

Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Malaysia's representative to the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), will chair the consultation, said Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement.

Interested participants should register and confirm their participation via phone or e-mail the Asean-Malaysia National Secretariat by June 15 at: (03) 8887 4632 / 4552 / 4117 or aichr@kln.gov.my

As places are limited, registration will be accorded on a first come first served basis.

The Star had previously reported the unhappiness of various groups over the secrecy in the drafting of the document.

In January, Amnesty International had called for the draft to be made public, saying human rights concerned every woman, man and child in the region.

It lamented the “secrecy surrounding the drafting process so far”.

Later, 137 Asean civil society organisations and networks issued a statement to AICHR and its country representatives on April 8 to release the draft to the peoples of Asean member countries.

In response, Shafee had argued that effective consultation was possible even without a draft as everyone knew what would be included in any human rights declaration.

“I have consulted local NGOs and the Bar Council representative in this manner and I found no impediment whatsoever.”

He had added AICHR would consult with various selected and accredited civil societies this month.

Dipetik dari - The Star Online