Statement

Very recently, the Cambodian authorities at two different locations took action to ban peaceful public demonstrations of the people as they wanted to express themselves against the wrongdoings affecting their livelihood. On 12 May 2008 fifteen indigenous minority associations in the northeastern province of Rattanakiri sought permission from the provincial authorities to hold a seminar […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission wrote today to the Sri Lankan authorities and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture regarding death threats to one of the witnesses in the Gerald Perera murder trial which is being heard before the Negombo High Court. Gerald Perera, a torture victim was summoned to give evidence […]

The BBC Sinhala Service today quoted the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Violations of Human Rights (CoI) as stating that it could not recruit independent lawyers to assist the probe due to financial constraints. The report further stated that the two senior lawyers have volunteered to assist the CoI. The […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  AHRC-STM-139-2008 May 19, 2008 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission BURMA: From Dictator Ne Win to Cyclone Nargis – Burmese catastrophe continues Two weeks after Cyclone Nargis, which has so far claimed the lives of over 100,000 persons, the world remains unable to deliver water, basic foods and medicines to at […]

A group of civil society organisations in Sri Lanka have appealed to the members of the United Nations Human Rights Council urging them not to reelect Sri Lanka for membership to the council on the basis of its blatant human rights violations and disregard for the pledges made to the council itself. A reply from […]

The response of the Burmese regime to the Cyclone Nargis disaster is now acknowledged to be the world’s worst response to a disaster by any state or regime. The Burmese generals, including Senior General Than Shwe, are deliberately avoiding contact with world leaders and other organisations who want to assist the two and half million […]

This week the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, by a majority judgement of two out of a bench of three, held that several prison officers had violated the constitutionally guaranteed rights of Michael Anthony (Tony) Emmanuel Fernando who was severely tortured while he was in prison custody. The bench consisted of Dr. Shirani Bandaranaike, Jagath […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission extends its concerns to the Chinese people and the Chinese government at this moment of tragedy by way of the severe earthquake. After news of the heavy earthquake that hit heavily populated areas in Sichuan province, China on May 12, reached the world, Premier Wen Jiabao quickly referred to it […]

The Supreme Court lawyers decided on Sunday (May 11, 2008) to boycott the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court for two hours on Thursday, May 15, in protest against a series of verdicts, including the highly controversial ruling, which abdicated the power of the Supreme Court to review applications for bail regarding the Emergency Power […]

(This is the second reply to a columnist of the Sunday Leader who wrote his column on May 11, 2008 referring to the Asian Human Rights Commission and its Executive Director, Mr. Basil Fernando). May 12th 2008 Mr. Lasantha Wickramatunga – The Editor The Sunday Leader Leader Publications (Pvt) Ltd. 24, Katukurunduwatte Road, Ratmalana  Sri […]

In Pakistan lawyers and the civil society are observing May 12 as a black day in protest of the killing of about 50 persons on May 12, 2007, by a partner ethnic group in President Musharraf’s government. The Asian Human Rights Commission endorses the protest of the people of Pakistan against the barbaric act of […]

It is astonishing that the newly formed government is still not clear about how to deal with the issue of missing persons. Senator Baber Awan, secretary of Pakistan Peoples Party’s Reconciliatory Committee On Balochistan, has announced the formation of two committees on Blochistan, the army ridden province, by the government of Pakistan (Daily Dawn 05.05.2008). […]

With the news that the military regime in Burma that has for a week denied its people outside help on May 9 seized the World Food Programme’s supplies in Rangoon and forced a planeload of supplies from Qatar to be returned to the country of origin, it is clear that it has crossed the line […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission congratulates the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE) for taking up a pluralistic approach in incorporating members to engage in election monitoring thereby standing above the partition political approach that has been the curse of Sri Lankan politics. Election monitoring must be done on the basis of norms and […]

Cyclone Nargis that devastated Myanmar is likely to claim more lives than what was lost during the 2004 Asian tsunami. The tsunami, widely known in the scientific community as the Great Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, has reportedly claimed 224,000 lives. The number however, was the total of the reported deaths from 11 nations with landmasses bordering the Indian […]

Since the end of the communist regime in the early 90s, the Cambodian people have dared to make complaints and vent their grievances against injustices even though they are still very much gripped by a fear psychosis. There are several venues for such complaints and grievances; they can go directly to the police, the courts, […]

Preparations are now under way for the next general election scheduled for 27 July 2008. Although the electoral campaign cannot begin until 30 days prior to the polls, political parties are already conducting a flurry of activities to challenge one another to score points and win votes. These activities include various measures to enlist more […]

From the very scanty news that has reached the global media it is already clear that a human catastrophe of the highest category is taking place in Burma. Some figures indicate that the numbers of deaths known so far may be around 200,000. In one area alone around 80,000 people are dead. By all indications […]

The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) appreciates the initiative taken by the Government of India in responding to the catastrophe that has devastated Myanmar. According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, India has dispatched two ships, INS Rana and INS Kirpan from the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet, which has reached Yangon today with relief and […]

With the failure of the newly elected government to solve the crisis facing the judiciary and the restoration of the deposed judges so far, the systems of the rule of law and justice have become a mockery. In Pakistan, the legitimate holder of the position of chief justice, Iftekhar Choudhry has been given the protocol […]