In the beginning: working with the people

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In the beginning working with the people

• Work with the people in West Papua doing 1
  human rights advocacy, 2 research and
  documentation, 3 human rights training and 4
  peace-building programs since 1998.
• Engaging the national government and national HR
  institution finding solutions for conflict and
  HR abuses.
  
• Linking up with FI Geneva since 2001 engaging
  the UN HR mechanisms to raise the issue of WP at
  the international level

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The fate of Asia-Pacific

• At the UN, Asia-Pacific means one group
  covering the member states that are located at
  the continent of Asia and the islands of Pacific,
  except Australia and New Zealand which belong to
  the Western group
• No existing regional human rights mechanisms
• There are four regional groups East North Asia
  (5 countries), South East Asia (10 countries),
  South Asia (8 countries) and Oceania (17
  countries)
• We are very diverse in culture, political and
  legal systems, religion.

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East North Asia
ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights ICESCR International Covenant o
n Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
CAT Convention against Torture and other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of all forms
Discrimination against Women CERD Convention on
the Elimination of all forms Racial
Discrimination CRC Convention on the Rights of t
he Child MWC Convention on the Protection of the
Rights of All Migrant Workers and members of
their families (Source OHCHR Asia-Pacific Region
al Office as at 27 October 2004
http//untreaty.un.org)
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South East Asia
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South Asia
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Oceania
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What can be read from the statistics above?

• Legal standard is an indication of how a country
  has a political will to uphold, protect and
  promote the rights of her citizens. Even though
  it does not necessarily mean that a particular
  state that ratifies an international treaty fully
  implements all requirements.
• Most countries in Asia-Pacific do not ratify the
  seven core international human rights treaties so
  this signify the unwillingness of the countries
  to guarantee the rights of their citizens
  vis-à-vis the power of the state.

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• Most countries in Oceania and S.E Asia regions do
  not even ratify ICCPR and ICESCR as two
  fundamental treaties.
  
• Only two countries in SE Asia (Phil and Thailand)
  and one country in S. Asia (Bangladesh) and
  signed MMC while in Oceania region, only East
  Timor puts accession on this treaty.
• CRC seems to be the most ratified convention but
  it does not have an individual complaint
  mechanism.
  
• Therefore, most countries are hard to be held
  accountable for their mistreatment to their own
  citizens, non-citizens or foreigners due to most
  of international HR laws do not apply to them.

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Problems beyond the statistics

• Protection of fundamental freedoms right to
  life, freedom of expression, freedom of religion,
  freedom of association (ASEAN countries, China,
  North Korea, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Nepal)
• Cycle of impunity and authoritarian regimes
  (Myanmar, Nepal, Afghanistan, Timor Leste,
  Bhutan, Pakistan, Indonesia).
  
• Extreme poverty and depriving of resources (ASEAN
  countries and South Asia)
  
• Corruption as a stumbling block to enjoy human
  rights, in particular ESB rights (Pacific
  countries, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia,
  Cambodia, Vietnam, Lao)

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• 5. Discrimination against women, indigenous
  people, children, refugees and asylum seekers
  (most countries)
  
• 6. Trafficking of human beings migrant workers,
  sex workers and children (Thailand, Malaysia,
  Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines)
  
• 7. Destruction of the environment illegal
  logging, illegal fishing, mining and petroleum
  operation (Indonesia, India, PNG, Thailand,
  Philippines).

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What are our contributions to address these
problems?

• Our spirituality tradition to embrace the
  lepers enables us to go to the excluded.
  
• Praxis simple lifestyle and various ministries
  that manifest our preference to live and work
  with the poor.
  
• JPIC networks should be more effective in
  animating our brothers and sisters.
  
• Working closely with NGOs and CSOs in your own
  countries to protect the rights of the people
  vis-à-vis the state
  
• Franciscan family in Asia-Pacific should
  co-operate in addressing the problems utilising
  all of our resources. FI would be a preference.
  
• Join the Asian Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)
  to strengthen our efforts towards setting up
  Asian HR mechanisms.

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