HRW: Statement on Asia-Europe Summi

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Subject: HRW: Statement on Asia-Europe Summit (forwarded)

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Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Subject: Asia-Europe Summit--Don't Ignore Human Rights
Message-ID: <APC&1'0'5804b047'339@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 28 Feb 1996 09:12:57 -0800 (PST)
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~From: Human Rights Watch <hrwatchnyc@xxxxxxxxxxx>
~Subject: Asia-Europe Summit--Don't Ignore Human Rights

/* Written  8:34 AM  Feb 28, 1996 by hrwatchnyc in igc:hrw.asia */
/* ---------- "asia.962" ---------- */
~From: Human Rights Watch <hrwatchnyc@xxxxxxxxxxx>

~Title: 28 Feb 96--Don't Ignore Human Rights at Asia-Europe Summit

Human Rights Watch today urged Asian and European leaders gathering in
Bangkok for the first ever Asia-Europe summit on March 1 to take joint
action to protect human rights in the region, even as European leaders
indicated that human rights issues would be downplayed at the
twenty-five nation meeting. In a series of specific recommendations
accompanying a twenty-six page report, Human Rights Issues for the
Asia-Europe Summit, the international human rights organization calls
on participants to: 

o    support the stationing of a United Nations Special
     Representative in Burma to monitor human rights. 

o    take joint action to ensure that the human rights situation in
     Cambodia does not deteriorate further. That action could include
     joint monitoring of the upcoming local and national elections
     and the protection of basic freedoms, such as freedom of
     expression, association, and assembly in the run-up to those
     elections.

o    support protection of labor rights through ratification of key
     International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions guaranteeing
     freedom of association and banning forced labor. 

o    take joint action to curb the trafficking of Asian women to
     Europe and within Asia.

o    support an arms trade "code of conduct" to control the sale and
     transfer of weapons to countries that seriously violate
     international human rights or humanitarian law or that do not
     fully participate in the U.N. Register of Conventional Arms. 

o    take all possible measures to ensure that the remaining
     Vietnamese asylum-seekers in Malaysia, the Philippines and Hong
     Kong will be protected from excessive use of force when
     protesting repatriation to Vietnam; forced registration for
     "voluntary repatriation"; and refoulement. 

o    take all steps to ensure that people detained for the peaceful
     expression of their views throughout Asia are released, with
     particular attention to China/Tibet, Indonesia/East Timor,
     Vietnam and Burma.

Human Rights Watch deplores reports that European officials preparing
for the summit had already agreed that the closing statement, to be
issued by Thailand, would make no reference to human rights other than
to reaffirm support for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Even worse, it said, was Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene's
statement on February 26 that the paramount need was to avoid conflict
and that the European Union leaders would not push issues which Asian
countries considered sensitive, and that they would do nothing to
offend their Asian partners. The meeting is expected to focus
primarily on trade and investment.

   "This summit represents an unprecedented opportunity to explore
joint action to address some of the region's most intractable human
rights problems," said Sidney Jones, executive director of Human
Rights Watch/Asia. "To ignore these problems for fear of offending
Asian leaders is an abrogation of responsibility at best and a
capitulation to the call of the dynamic Asian market at worst."

   Human Rights Watch noted that while increased trade between Europe
and Asia could bring benefits to both, it also brings increased
responsibility to address some of the human rights problems
exacerbated by rapid growth and to ensure that political repression
does not increase as Asian leaders confront demands from their own
populations for change. "European leaders have to recognize that
partnership with Asia does not just mean more business deals -- it
also means an obligation to use their increased economic leverage to
protect human rights," Jones said. 

   The Human Rights Watch report contains summaries of human rights
concerns over the past twelve months in Indonesia/East Timor, Burma,
Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. 
Human Rights Watch is a nongovernmental organization established in
1978 to monitor and promote the observance of internationally
recognized human rights in Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East
and among the signatories of the Helsinki accords. It is supported by
contributions from private individuals and foundations worldwide. It
accepts no government funds, directly or indirectly. Its Asia division
was established in 1985 to monitor and promote the observance of
internationally recognized human rights in Asia. 

Human Rights Watch/Asia
485 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10017-6104
TEL: 212/972-8400
FAX: 212/972-0905
E-mail: hrwnyc@xxxxxxx

1522 K Street, N.W.
Washington D.C. 20005
TEL: 202/371-6592
FAX: 202/371-0124
E-mail: hrwdc@xxxxxxx