AHRC News

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SRI LANKA: Sri Lankan workers are not slaves — Chief Justice’s equating employers with the nation has no basis in law

According to a report in the press (Daily News July 26, 2006) the Chief Justice is quoted as having said:  ‘”go slow” activity as a pernicious act committed against the whole countr...

PHILIPPINES: Alleged rights abuses by army demand full investigations, not whitewashing

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has read with concern your interview published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer of 25 July 2006 entitled, “PNP clears Palparan on killings”. The ar...

PHILIPPINES: The story of Fr. Terry, a Pastor in Pangasinan — an update on the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines

The following story about Fr. Terry, a Pastor in Pangasinan, shows how extrajudicial killings and other forms of violence and harm are planned and, more often than not, carried out in the Philippines ...

THAILAND: Thai Criminal Court sets an example for eliminating electoral corruption by sending Election Commissioners to jail

In an historic judgment the Criminal Court of Thailand held yesterday (July 25, 2006) that the Election Commission was guilty of malfeasance and illegal assistance to the Thai Rak Thai Party in the Ap...

PHILIPPINES: The president fails to take decisive steps to end extrajudicial killings

The president of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo made her State of the Nation Address (SONA) during the 3rd Regular Session of the 13th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines.  Except fo...

SRI LANKA: The following of a Lee Kwan Yew model aggravated the Sri Lankan ethnic crisis

Lee Kuan Yew in a recent publication has paid himself a cheap compliment by comparing the tragic situation of Sri Lanka with Singapore.  He attributes Sri Lanka’s collapse from a one time bette...

WORLD: What are your qualifications to be UN Secretary-General, Deputy Prime Minister?

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has since 2004 studied your candidacy to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations with interest. To be honest, we are a bit perplexed. Try as we...

THAILAND: UN recommendations matter

On July 18 the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) described how a victim of alleged abduction, torture, armed robbery, illegal detention and extortion by Thai police has over three years been unable...

PHILIPPINES: AHRC reproduces an article “Papal Nuncio twits GMA on slay spree” – an update on the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines

The Daily Tribune has published an article by Marie A. Surbano on July 7, 2006 entitled “Papal Nuncio twits GMA on slay spree”, we reproduce this article below. In his comments the Papal N...

PHILIPPINES: Stopping the extra-judicial killings must be a priority in your State of the Nation Address (Sona)

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to you in advance of your State on Monday, July 24. While we look forward to what you will be reporting regarding the present situation of your country ...

SRI LANKA: Torture, worse than absurd

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  AS-172-2006 July 21, 2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)  SRI LANKA: Torture, worse than absurd  (This is the second in the series of statements whi...

PHILIPPINES: Police “solve” cases but killings continue

The Philippine National Police have a unique definition of the word “solved”. According to them, once a charge is filed against a suspect with the Office of the Prosecutor it is solved. Su...

THAILAND: UN charge that killings “official policy” cannot be ignored

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 20, 2006 AS-170-2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission THAILAND: UN charge that killings “official policy” cannot be ignored On July 18 a senior U...

WEST ASIA: Response to terrorism in the far west of Asia

It is with great concern that we watch the rapid deterioration of – perhaps it would be more accurate to say the deliberate flaunting of – the rule of law and international norms in Western Asia.  ...

SRI LANKA: The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has stopped investigations into 2000 disappearance cases to avoid having to pay government compensation to the victims

In a very strange move that will surprise anyone concerned with the global effort to eradicate disappearances and gross human rights violations, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), which...

THAILAND: The impossibility of complaint against the police

On July 17 the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) issued an appeal on the alleged torture, armed robbery, illegal detention, and attempted rape and extortion of two persons in Saraburi, just northea...

BURMA: Investigating complaints is a duty of the state

Thank you for your message to the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) of 13 July 2006 in reply to our open letter to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Myanmar, ‘Violent crime by state...

SRI LANKA: Revelations of the former president J.R. Jayawardene’s liability for Black July 1983

This year is the 23rd anniversary of the Black July of 1983.  In a book published in June 2002, Sirisena Cooray, very much an insider to the regime in power in 1983 gives the story of the manner in w...

INDIA: Mumbai blasts must be promptly and impartially investigated

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to express its deep concern to the injured victims and the families of those who lost their lives in the bomb blasts in Mumbai, India on July 11, 2006. ...

BURMA: Violent crime by state officers causing lawlessness

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is writing to you with regards to many serious allegations of brutal and oftentimes murderous violent crimes by state officers in Myanmar, which it understands...