Democracy

We are publishing today a statement by JayakumarThangavelu ,a retired senior police officer, who held the rank of DIG in charge of legal division about his experiences as an investigator into political crimes and in witness protection. He writes, “In addressing this subject, I put down my experience of forty years in the Sri Lankan […]

The Government has announced another attempt at constitution making in Sri Lanka which, this time is to begin, with the hope to complete the process, by the end of this year. A resolution to this effect has already been introduced in the Parliament and a Drafting Committee has been named. A valid question that begets […]

In this first episode of Just Asia in 2016, AHRC TV covers stories of disappearances and shrinking spaces for the freedom of expression. However, first up, the programme reports on the conclusion of a rape case in Sri Lanka, more than 14 years after the case began being heard. Rita, unlike many other rape victims, […]

Since the Association of Southeast Asian Nations [ASEAN] established ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), on October 23, 2009, public expectations towards the promotion and protection of human right have increased significantly. Although ASEAN was established in 1967, in terms of development of the regional human rights mechanism, ASEAN lags behind the other regional human rights bodies, namely […]

This week, JUST ASIAhighlights activities conducted by AHRC and it’s partners in the region to mark Human Rights Day, December 10. In Sri Lanka, German Ambassador Dr.JurganMorgardspoke to survivors in Kandy, and in Nepal, AHRC’s Dr.RajatMitra conducteda workshop on Violence and Human Rights. Indonesian human rights defenders marked the Day by gathering in front of […]

A Press Releasefrom Gwangju Human Rights Laureates, Imparsial, IKOHI and the May 18 Memorial Foundation (Gwangju, South Korea) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) On Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (12-14 December, 2015) 8 laureates of the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights, and human rights defenders from Asian region and Indonesia participated in an […]

The smallest coffins can be the heaviest to bear. On 16 December 2014, exactly one year ago, many Pakistani parents had to bear the pain of seeing their children die in a terrible manner. As many as 134 school children of the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar were massacred on that day, in a […]

It seems as if the slogan of our policy makers and planners is: surrender your natural resources- we shall give you an undernourished, ailing, unequal development in return.They cause a tradeoff between resources and a corrupt, unaccountable bunch of schemes: 5 kg grains per head, a meal for Rs. 5 students in schools, a nutritious […]

Basil Fernando I propose that the discussion on a South Asian mechanism for human rights should concentrate more on what such a mechanism could positively achieve, rather than on justifying why such a mechanism is needed. In fact, if its useful goal is achieved for the people and States of the South Asian region, the […]

Few experiences can bring more pain to families than having their homes demolished. For the urban poor in India, and across the world, this is unfortunately a recurrent event in their lives. Demolitions of their houses and communities are so routine they hardly make news, and remain confined to the inside pages even if they […]

A Statement from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission Mr. Thanakorn Siripaiboon, a factory worker in a private company, was arrested from his workplace in Samut Prakan on 8 December 2015. He was accused by Maj Gen Wijarn Jodtaeng and Colonel Burin Thongprapai, legal officers of the National […]

Prashant Kumar dubey 10 दिसंबर, अंतर्राष्ट्रीय मानवाधिकार दिवस प्रति, माननीय प्रधानमन्त्री श्री नरेन्द्र भाई मोदी जी  भारत सरकार  शुभकामनायें मैं भोपाल का निवासी नवीन हूँ, एमएसएम (मेन हू हेव सेक्स विथ मेन) समुदाय से ताल्लुक रखता हूँ| बोलचाल की आम भाषा में आप मुझे “गे” भी कह सकते है| वैसे मेरे समुदाय को समलैंगिक के […]

– Basil Fernando Leading human rights activist Basil Fernando faults the government for not pushing the good governance agenda enough: It’s time to come up with a proper implementation plan to investigate and punish those involved in the corruption and crimes that occurred during the previous decades, says leading Human Rights activist, Basil Fernando Chathuri […]

Yesterday, December 10 was Human Rights Day. This is the day in 1948 when the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To mark this day, JUST ASIA brings you a review of the state of human rights in specific Asian countries, with several interviews with relevant experts. In Nepal, adoption of a […]

The Philippines sees routine investigations on targeted killings, torture, arbitrary arrests and detention, all of which end up without enough evidence to prosecute the perpetrators. When prosecutions are initiated, those with the most guilt and evidence for prosecution are routinely excluded from criminal complaint. Court trials, time consuming and costly for victims, largely end with […]

The world is commemorating International Human Rights Day today, 10 December 2015. However, the mood differs in Burma; the situation in the country is absolutely grim. This is despite the fact that just four weeks ago the Burmese people have finally been permitted, by the ruling military junta, to elect a popular government. The Asian […]

Human Rights violations remain widespread due to the failings of, and lack of reforms to, the country’s institutional framework, in particular, key institutions of the rule of law – the police, the prosecution, and the judiciary. This is compounded by persisting impunity enjoyed by law enforcement agencies particularly by the Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies. […]

Who can enjoy any of the basic human rights guaranteed to them by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 through the United Nations General Assembly resolution 217, if they face chronic hunger, or even worse, starvation? The answer to the question […]

International Human Rights Day offers one more opportunity to streamline the discourse on human rights. The achievements in terms of the development of normative standards have been immense in the last decades. These achievements are not reflected in people’s real life, despite certain public awareness about rights being made. Together with its success in building […]

This year, 2015, did not start off well for Nepal. On April 25, a devastating earthquake hit the nation killing more than 9000 people, injuring thousands and destroying millions of dollars worth of property. Help poured in from all over the world to assist the poor Himalayan nation. Youths and volunteers were reaching out to […]