Raise our concerns, groups urge Obama

The Asean Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) stated yesterday that it hopes improved human rights and the strengthening of democracy will be the key objectives of Obama’s visit to Thailand and the region, which will not only be seen as adding legitimacy to the government of Myanmar President Thein Sein, but also encouraging it in its efforts to enact key reform measures.

“There are concerns that pushing the Thein Sein government to move too quickly with reform measures could provoke a backlash from military hardliners; and it is commendable that President Obama has embarked on this trip in an effort to ensure the reform process does not backslide, but it is also important fundamental ideals are not surrendered in the drive for economic and political gains,” AIPMC president and Indonesian MP Eva Kusuma Sundari said. 

“We should all expect concrete commitments and deliverable achievements from President Obama’s visit.”

The caucus stated that as of yesterday it appeared there were no political detainees among the 452 included in an amnesty announced by the government last week. AIPMC encouraged Obama to work towards securing a commitment from Nay Pyi Taw to enter into political dialogue with non-state armed groups and to allow further humanitarian access to Rakhine and Kachin states, as well as an agreement to allow the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to establish a presence in Myanmar.

The caucus said transparency was still sorely lacking and ordinary people don’t have access to redress through the legal system in countries like Cambodia.

Another group urged Obama to pressure Asean to protect environmental rights within a strong human rights framework. 

In Phnom Penh on Friday, the Asean youth group stated that regional integration should not come at the price of environmental ruin and human rights abuses. 

The group urged Asean leaders to protect the rights of the people and the environment as the region pursues a single economic community in an era of runaway climate change.

“We want our leaders to remember that environmental rights – the right to clean water, air and a healthy environment – are human rights too,” said Yong Kim Eng, president of the People Centre for Development and Peace.

“With the attendance of newly elected US President Barack Obama at the [East Asian] Summit, Asean leaders must use this opportunity to call on the US to join the EU in raising ambition for climate action and deliver adequate and predictable climate finance for vulnerable countries such as most Asean states,” said Zelda Soriano, political adviser of Greenpeace Southeast Asia. 

“Unless urgently addressed, climate change will inflict further suffering on the region’s poor and hinder Asean’s grand plans to become an integrated economic community.”