Category: Human Rights Council

SRILANKA: Proposed Office of Missing persons is no substitute for immediate investigations into murders

32nd Session- 2016 June, ALRC AT THE UN, Commission on Human Rights, Sri Lanka, Written Submissions June 7, 2016January 16, 2017 Admin 0 Comments

It seems no progress can be made in Sri Lanka on the attitude to murder. Murder is now regarded as normal and therefore not something to worry much about. And, this is exactly what should worry everyone. But hardly anyone seems to worry about it. We see the same thing in the proposed Office of Missing Persons (OMP). The simple fact about a missing person in Sri Lanka is that he or she is dead. Very rarely, does a missing person re-appear. As in the case of the dead, missing persons normally never appear again. At least that is case in Sri Lanka, whatever the case may be elsewhere off […]

PAKISTAN: Call to curb rise in violence against women

32nd Session- 2016 June, ALRC AT THE UN, Commission on Human Rights, Pakistan, Written Submissions June 7, 2016June 7, 2016 Admin 0 Comments

1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) would like to draw the UN Human Rights Council’s attention to the rise in violence against women in Pakistan. According to a Thomson Reuters Foundation poll, Pakistan is the third most dangerous country for women after Afghanistan and Congo. The poll report has cited cultural, tribal, and religious practices that are harmful to women in Pakistan, as well as acid attacks, child and forced marriage, and punishment or retribution by stoning or other physical abuse as reasons for the ranking. The Report also states that 90% of women in Pakistan face domestic violence. Though the country is witnessing a surge in legislation meant […]

INDONESIA: No protection for freedom of movement and residence

32nd Session- 2016 June, ALRC AT THE UN, Commission on Human Rights, Indonesia, Written Submissions June 6, 2016January 16, 2017 Admin 0 Comments

1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) wishes to draw the attention of the UN Human Rights Council to the problem of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) within the territory of the Republic of Indonesia. As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the government has failed to protect the right to liberty of movement and freedom to choose residence, as stated in the Covenant’s Article 12. 2. The main factor causing IDPs in Indonesia is continuing conflict and the government’s lack of protection for minority groups. While the government has failed to establish peaceful conflict resolution, its security forces along with vigilante groups are involved […]

INDIA: Gates of Justice Being Closed for the People of Narmada Valley

32nd Session- 2016 June, ALRC AT THE UN, Commission on Human Rights, India, Written Submissions June 6, 2016January 16, 2017 Admin 0 Comments

The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) draws the attention of the Human Rights Council to the imminent decision of Government of India to close the gates of the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River. The decision of constructing the dam to its full height of 139 meters has violated various orders of the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal Award, state rehabilitation policies, as well as Supreme Court judgments delivered in 1991, 2000, 2002, 2005, and 2011. The Supreme Court has repeatedly disallowed construction of the dam before complete rehabilitation of the project affected people, who are spread over three states in western India, i.e. Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. The […]

PAKISTAN: Human trafficking a systemic failure of the State and its institutions of justice

32nd Session- 2016 June, ALRC AT THE UN, Commission on Human Rights, Pakistan, Written Submissions June 6, 2016June 6, 2016 Admin 0 Comments

1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) would like to draw the UN Human Rights Council’s attention to the rise in human trafficking in Pakistan. The country is a source, transit, and destination for men, women, and children who are subjected to trafficking, specifically for forced labor and prostitution. According to reports, women and girls from Afghanistan, China, Russia, Nepal, Iran, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan are subjected to sex trafficking in Pakistan.

INDONESIA: Lack of human rights policy in business sectors

32nd Session- 2016 June, ALRC AT THE UN, Commission on Human Rights, Indonesia, Written Submissions June 6, 2016 Admin 0 Comments

1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) wishes to inform the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) about human rights violations in Indonesia’s business sectors. Currently, the Indonesian government is geared towards encouraging and inviting foreign investors to invest in Indonesia, in the hope that foreign investment will strengthen the country’s economy. However, the government’s business policy has led to increased land confiscation and other agrarian conflicts. At the same time, no effective mechanism on agrarian conflict resolution has been put in place.

THAILAND: Unfair Trial in the Military Courts

32nd Session- 2016 June, ALRC AT THE UN, Commission on Human Rights, Thailand, Written Submissions June 3, 2016January 16, 2017 Admin 0 Comments

1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) wishes to draw the attention of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to the fact that on 13 March 2015, in response to expressed concerns about trials of civilians in Military Courts, Thailand’s delegation to the United Nations (UN) stated to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) that Thailand “is committed to the promotion and protection of human rights of all persons” and that “only a limited number of cases of those who are accused of committing serious offences are submitted to Military Courts”. 2. The ALRC would like to point out the manifest inaccuracy of this statement. The May 2014 Military coup, […]

INDONESIA: Freedom of opinion and expression under serious threat

32nd Session- 2016 June, ALRC AT THE UN, Commission on Human Rights, Indonesia, Written Submissions June 3, 2016 Admin 0 Comments

1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) and the Independent Journalist Alliance of Indonesia (AJI Indonesia) wish to draw the UN Human Rights Council’s attention to the rampant human rights violations against the right to freedom of opinion and expression in Indonesia. Under current President Joko Widodo’s administration, the security forces and vigilante groups are the actors to committing these violations most frequently.

BANGLADESH: Justice mechanisms require re-engineering

32nd Session- 2016 June, ALRC AT THE UN, Bangladesh, Commission on Human Rights, Written Submissions June 3, 2016 Admin 0 Comments

The United Nations Human Rights Council is now ten years of age. Since its inception a decade ago, the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) has participated in the Council, with special focus on the independence of the judges and lawyers in many Asian countries like Bangladesh. The ALRC has reiterated the need for comprehensive understanding into the realities of justice mechanisms in Bangladesh. It has also highlighted the necessity of effective contribution from the Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights mechanisms and the international community.

INDONESIA: Dismal law enforcement prevents remedies for summary executions

32nd Session- 2016 June, ALRC AT THE UN, Commission on Human Rights, Indonesia, Written Submissions June 3, 2016June 3, 2016 Admin 0 Comments

1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) wishes to bring the attention of the UN Human Rights Council to Indonesia’s dismal standard of punishment for summary executions. Perpetrators are merely sentenced with light punishment, and, moreover, police are generally reluctant to investigate cases of torture and murders involving the Anti-Terror Police Unit (Detachment 88). In addition, the Indonesian government has yet to show serious commitment to prosecute past cases of extrajudicial killings, such as the murder of Munir Said Thalib, the killing of labour activist Marsinah, as well as numerous extrajudicial killings that have occurred in conflict areas, such as Papua.