New Delhi (Mizzima) - Leaders of Southeast Asian countries (ASEAN) should address the issue of Burma's poor human rights record in the forthcoming summit to be held at the end of this month, an activist has said.
Debbie Stothard, Coordinator of ALTSEAN-Burma said the ASEAN leaders must agree on a solution addressing Burma's poor human rights record issue, which would be a big challenge for ASEAN, in the summit to be held from February 27 to March 1, in Thailand.
"They have to agree on some kind of solution to Burma," Stothard told Mizzima on Monday, adding, "They should not just talk in a diplomatic manner, when the problems are happening."
The activist's comment came after ASEAN's Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan, at the 4th ASEAN Civil Society Conference held in Thailand, on February 21-22 said, the member states should take a firmer stance on human rights violations in Burma, citing the group's new charter, which pledges the protection of human rights.
"With the charter, every issue from now on is on the table. Every issue from now on cannot be hidden. Every issue from now on is legitimate," Pitsuwan said.
ASEAN ratified a charter in December last year, with a commitment to the principles of good governance, the rule of law and the promotion of democracy and human rights in Southeast Asia.
The charter still contains provisions that say member states will not interfere in each other's internal affairs. Neither does the charter allow for the punishment of states if they contravene it.
Although, Burma's military regime is also a party to the charter, which makes the group legally binding, Stothard said, after two months of the charter coming into force, the Burmese regime's human rights record is getting worse.
"During two months of the charter's ratification, they the [Burmese junta] still continued human rights abuse against the people," she said, "They were doing very terrible things. They are breaking the charter."
Meanwhile, U Win Tin, former political prisoner and also executive committee member of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party said, that he was not optimistic on the charter so far, there is no country among ASEAN that qualifies to take a leading role in effectively addressing the region's human rights issues.
"Since each member is not devoid of human rights abuse in their own state, I do not think the charter will promote human rights and democracy in the region," Win Tin told Mizzima on Monday.
