Thailand

Asean ministers endorse human rights watchdog

Article published on the 2009-07-20 Latest update 2009-07-21 10:21 TU

Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva speaks at the Asean forum in Phuket Monday.
(Photo: Reuters)

Foreign ministers from Southeast Asia on Monday endorsed the region's first human rights watchdog - rejecting criticisms it would be powerless to tackle rogue members such as Myanmar.

Twenty-seven nations including the United States attended the regional forum, held in Phuket, with the long-awaited commission to be launched at a summit in October. This comes after years of claims the bloc is too soft on military-ruled Myanmar and communist Vietnam and Laos.

But rights groups said the proposed watchdog lacks teeth to punish violators, has no monitoring powers and would merely make the bloc's members provide internal reports on rights conditions inside their countries.

Thai Prime Minister and and Asean chairman Abhisit Vejjajiva said the body would focus on the "promotion and protection" of human rights. “It's better to make a start than to leave this hanging with no progress at all."

Splits had emerged in Asean’s normally placid facade Sunday as Indonesia objected to the final terms for the rights body and Myanmar protested against changes wanted by the Indonesians, diplomats said.

Myanmar has been a thorn in the side of Asean since it joined in 1997 because of its detention of more than 2,000 political prisoners, including pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Meanwhile the Asean ministers were set to issue a statement urging North Korea to return to six-party talks on its weapons programme. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is due to arrive in Phuket for the forum on Wednesday.