Our Struggle for Human Rights – 25 Year of FORUM
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The contents of this publication may be quoted from or copied so long as the source and authors are acknowledged, and FORUM-ASIA is informed about the use. Supported by the Ford Foundation and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) profile of the EDITORS MARTE HELLEMA is the Information, Communication and Publication (ICP) Programme Manager for the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), based in Bangkok, Thailand. Formerly she was the Regional Coordinator Asia Pacific and Programme Manager Public Outreach at the Global Secretariat of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of BETTINA STUFFER Armed Conflict (GPPAC). works as intern with the ICP Programme of FORUM-ASIA, based in Bangkok, Thailand. She graduated with a Master’s degree in Social and Political Conflict from Augsburg University, Germany. Previously she worked on the prevention of drug dependence as a social worker LORENZO URBINATI with Prop e.v., Germany is the ICP Programme Officer for FORUM-ASIA, based in Bangkok, Thailand. He graduated with a Master’s degree in International Relations from LUISS University, Italy. Before joining FORUM-ASIA in 2013, he worked in PANU Belgium and Africa. BOONPIPUTTANAPONG Graphic designer 1 ISBN: 978-616-7733-11-1 Published by: Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) 66/2 Pan Road, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand Tel: +66(0)2 637 9126-7 Fax: +66 (0)2 637 9128 [email protected] www.forum-asia.org Original cover photo by the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO), Kieren Michael Ngalia McGovern and Lorenzo Urbinati Illustrator JITSINGHA [email protected] Panu Boonpiputtanapong [email protected] 2 table of CONTENTS Foreword 9 Evelyn Balais-Serrano 11 Introduction 13 Henri Tiphagne 15 chapter 1 THE HISTORY OF THE ASIAN FORUM FOR 17 HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEVELOPMENT (FORUM-ASIA) Sister Crescencia Lucero 27 How a Morning Coffee Changed the ASEAN Regional 29 Infrastructure – The story of ALTSEAN-Burma, based on an interview with Debbie Stothard, written by Marte Hellema Adilur Rahman Khan 35 Elections as Key for Democratisation across Asia – The story 37 of the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), based on an interview with Ichal Supriadi, written by Bettina Stuffer Frank La Rue 43 Khin Ohmar 45 Asia-Pacific Campaign on the Rome Statute of the 47 International Criminal Court –The story of an ongoing campaign for international justice, by Evelyn Balais-Serrano Anselmo Lee 59 3 In Memoriam 61 Nimalka Fernando 65 When the Challenges Are So Big that Regional Collaboration 67 is a Must – The story of the Asia Pacific Refugees Rights Network (APRRN), by Julia Mayerhofer Cecil Shane Chaudhry 71 Yibee Huang 73 National Human Rights Institutions Advocacy – The story 75 of the Asian NGOs Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI), by Joses Kuan Chalida Tajaroensuk 79 Capacitating a New Generation – The story of the Glo-cal 81 Advocacy Leadership in Asia (GALA) Academy, by Sejin Kim Haris Azhar 89 A Canvas of Possibilities – The story of the Regional Initiative 91 For a South Asia Human Rights Mechanism (RISAHRM), by Anjuman Ara Begum and Mukunda Kattel 99 Teesta Setalvad Somchai Homlaor 101 4 chapter 2 THE HISTORY OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS 103 MOVEMENT IN ASIA Subodh Raj Pyakurel 111 Countless Shades of Grey – IID and Asia Pacific 113 Coalition for East Timor (APCET): The story of civil society interpolation on human rights and right to self-determination in East Timor, by Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) Consuelo Katrina (Corinna) A. Lopa 119 Informed People are Powerful – The story of the Access 121 to Information Campaign in Mongolia, by Naranjargal Khashkhuu Ruki Fernando 129 Not Forgotten 131 On the Frontline Defending Human Rights in Bangladesh 133 – The story of the persecution of Adilur Rahman Khan and Odhikar, by Odhikar Kate Lappin 141 Activists beyond Borders – The story of the international 143 campaign for human rights in Sri Lanka, by Ruki Fernando Sayeed Ahmed 153 Take Back the Tech! – A story of gender rights and online 155 spaces in Pakistan, by Zoya Rehman Debbie Stothard 161 5 chapter 3 LESSONS LEARNT FROM 25 YEARS 163 OF HUMAN RIGHTS WORKS Phil Robertson 171 Dark Days and Darker Nights – A Malaysian Story of National 173 ‘Security’, by SUARAM Datin Paduka Hajah Intan bte Haji Mohd 181 Examples of an Ongoing Struggle – Stories from Ain o Salish 183 Kendra (ASK), Bangladesh, by Aklima Ferdows Lisa Jose Pereira 191 On Solving an Armed Conflict through a Peace Dialogue – 193 The story of Aceh, by Juanda Djamal Jerald Joseph 207 The Long Struggle to Fight against the Shrinking Space for 209 Civil Society in Indonesia – The story of the advocacy to stop the enactment of Societal Organisation Law, by Poengky Indarti 219 Urantsooj Gombosuren 221 A 14-Year Struggle for Justice for Torture Victims Still Continues – The story of People’s Watch, India, by Henri Tiphagne, Mathew Jacob and Shivani Lal 229 Chhan Sokunthea 231 Rafendi Djamin 233 The Citizens’ Alliance for the General Election (CAGE) 2000 Blacklists Corrupt Candidates – A story from the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD), by Taeho Lee 241 Shahindha Ismail 243 Ichal Supriadi 6 chapter 4 THE FUTURE OF HUMAN RIGHTS 245 IN ASIA Sevan Doraisamy 257 SMS Blast: An Innovative Movement for Greater Human Rights 259 Challenges – A story from the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), by Rei Firda Amalia Naranjargal Khashkhuu 265 Jose Luis Martin (Chito) Gascon 267 A Terrorist or a Victim – The story of two Muslim Ustas from 269 Yala, by Chalida Tajaroensuk Poengky Indarti 271 Makoto Teranaka 273 Rights’ Victory over Surveillance – The story of the victory over 275 the Government Communications Headquarters of the United Kingdom (UK), by Muhammad Arsalan Ashraf Rosslyn Noonan 279 The Dilemmas of a Social Movement – The story of the 281 Sunflower Movement, by E-Ling Chiu Anoop Sukumaran 289 7 Organisational Profiles 291 FORUM-ASIA Donor Partners Over the Years 331 Contributors 333 Abbreviations 337 8 FOREWORD On the occasion of FORUM-ASIA’s 25th Anniversary, we are launching this publication as part of our 25th Anniversary campaign. As we celebrate 25 years of FORUM- those victimised, marginalised and ASIA’s struggle for human rights, we discriminated against during those look back at our beginnings and reflect difficult years in the past characterised on the vision and the mission we have by repressive regimes, conflicts and committed ourselves to accomplish. We transitions to democracy. look back and assess what we have done and what we have failed to do. We I have been privileged to be part of look back and appreciate our milestones FORUM-ASIA from its beginning till now, through the situations we have dealt in different stages of its development, with, like our very first mission to Burma, in different capacities. I have been the cases we have campaigned on, like witness to some of its ups and downs, the cases of Aung San Suu Kyi, Xanana its triumphs and victories, as well as its Gusmao and other political prisoners, often difficult internal transitions. As a and the victims, their families and membership-based organisation, it has communities we have helped, like the endured the challenges that go with its people of Aceh and Timor-Leste. nature as a membership network and survived the test of time. Indeed, the We recall the many trainings, organisation has grown – from its 19 conferences, protest mobilisations and founding members to around 50 we solidarity actions we have organised, have now, from a two-staff room-office the lobby with Governments through to 25 staff with three more offices in all possible avenues we could use, Geneva, Jakarta and Kathmandu. And including the United Nations (UN) and with these changes and developments, the International Criminal Court (ICC) – FORUM-ASIA has become a key player all in our search for justice and protection and contributor to the promotion and of human rights for all, especially for protection of human rights in Asia. 9 The publication Our Struggle for Human Rights – 25 Years of FORUM- ASIA features many, if not all of these narratives of the past two decades and a half of FORUM-ASIA’s existence. It also includes, based on these narratives, lessons learnt and other reflections. It tries to present the future of human rights and democracy in the region. This vision is based on a collective process of projecting and envisioning the The struggle goes on as we look forward future of human rights and democracy to another 25 years of commitment through a series of workshops, towards the promotion and protection interviews and written submissions, of human rights and democracy in the as part of the preparation for the 2016 region, and elsewhere in the world. General Assembly and 25th Anniversary celebration of FORUM-ASIA. With the MABUHAY! emerging trends in human rights and democracy, we foresee an even more Evelyn Balais-Serrano challenging future ahead. Executive Director of FORUM-ASIA 10 11 ‘I think in terms of vision [FORUM-ASIA is] at that point where we can say we really have empowered certain sections in the population of the different countries we have worked in.’ Evelyn Balais-Serrano Executive Director, FORUM-ASIA 12 INTRODUCTION In 2016 the Asian Forum for Human The publication features four types of Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) content, being: celebrates its 25 year anniversary. 25 years of promoting and protecting human • Thematic/reflective chapters – which rights. 25 years of trainings, campaigns, were written based on inputs from a advocacy efforts, and much more. This range of people, and reflect on: the is both a reason for celebration and history of FORUM-ASIA; the history reflection.