Press Release / Statement

Joint Ministerial Statement of the Seventeenth (17th) ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Council

We acknowledged the progress of implementation of the ASCC Blueprint 2025 and development of the work plans of the various sectoral bodies of the ASCC, including cross-cutting initiatives and community-building issues. We encourage sectoral bodies under the ASCC, with the support of the ASEAN Secretariat, to continue to implement...

[END OF MISSION STATEMENT] Statement by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia: Professor Rhona Smith

“The Cambodia of 2016 is very different from the Cambodia of 1991,” says Special Rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia, Prof. Rhona Smith, this evening. “The progress and development is well worth celebrating, however imperfect aspects of that progress may be. The time for the Government to blame the...

[ACSC/APF 2016 CSO Statement] Expanding Peoples’ Solidarity For a Just and Inclusive ASEAN Community

ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN Peoples’ Forum (ACSC/APF) marks a new history in this region by holding it in Timor Leste. The ACSC/APF 2016 will not take place in Lao PDR, due to concerns over possible restrictions and limited freedom of expression on key issues of concerns of ASEAN which...

“A People-Centered ASEAN Community: Making It Happen” – ACSC/APF 2015 Conference Outcome Statement

Given the apathetic and dismal response by ASEAN to the interventions and recommendations of the ASEAN civil society in the last 10 years of engagement, we are compelled to question the meaningfulness of the rhetoric on people-oriented and people-centred ASEAN. The impunity of recalcitrant ASEAN member states compound the...

Joint Communique of the Ninth ASEAN Law Ministers Meeting [ALAWMM] – 22 October 2015, Bali, Indonesia

The Ministers reviewed the progress of the implementation of cooperation programmes and activities under the purview of the ASEAN Law Ministers Meeting (ALAWMM) since their last meeting on 4-5 November 2011 in Cambodia. The Ministers reviewed the progress of the implementation of cooperation programmes and activities under the purview of...

The 8th Regional Consultation on ASEAN and Human Rights Statement: ASEAN Community Should Ensure Human Rights Protection of People in Migration

In Malaysia’s term as the chair of ASEAN, civil society organizations in the ASEAN regionmet for the 8th Regional Consultation on ASEAN and Human Rights, in Kuala Lumpur on 17 & 18 August 2015. At least 60 participants from civil society organizations from national, regional, and international organizations met...

INDONESIA: Three years later, forcibly evicted Sampang Shi’a community still wanting to go home – Amnesty

On 26 August 2015, it will be three years since the Shi’a community from Sampang district in East Java, Indonesia, was attacked and forcibly evicted from their homes by anti-Shi’a mobs. At least 168 people, including 51 children, were attacked by around 500 people with sharp weapons and stones....

Joint Communiqué 48th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

We, the Foreign Ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), met on 4 August 2015 at the 48th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (48th AMM) in Kuala Lumpur. His Excellency Dato’ Sri Anifah Aman, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia chaired the meeting. We, the Foreign Ministers of the...

Jakarta Recommendations on Freedom of Expression in the Context of Religion [FORUM – ASIA]

The Jakarta Recommendations are the outcome of discussions at a regional consultation on “Expression, Opinion and  Religious Freedoms in Asia”, held in Jakarta, Indonesia  on  3 - 5  June 2015.  Over  140  people,  comprised  of  experts, including  the  UN  Special  Rapporteur  on  the  promotion  and  protection  of  the  right ...