Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)

New Delhi, November 14, 2002: The three-day meeting of Asia Pacific Forum of the National Human Rights Institutions ended in New Delhi yesterday with a decision, among others, to refer the anti-terrorist laws to its Advisory Council of Jurists, a body of eminent jurists from across the region.

The seventh Annual meeting of the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions was held from 11 to 13 November 2002 and attended by Forum members, representatives from the regional governments, officials of the United Nations agencies and representatives of the non-governmental organizations in the region.

“This is an important step to ensure due process of law at national level considering that most governments in the Asia Pacific region have adopted laws that are not in conformity with the national Constitutions, international human rights and humanitarian laws and United Nations Security Council resolution 1373,” responded Mr. Ravi Nair, coordinator of the Asia Pacific Human Rights Network.

“Violation of the right to life can never be justified under any circumstances,” added Mr Ravi Nair.

With the induction of three new National Human Rights Institutions at the meeting, the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF) consists of 12 National Human Rights Institutions in the region: India, Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The discussion during the three-day conference focused, among other issues, on the trafficking of women and children and the effort to draft an international convention on the protection and promotion of the Rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. It also reflects the resolve of national institutions of the Asia Pacific region to protect and promote human rights through a continuing programme of mutual co-corporation, working with all elements of society, governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Although Burma is not a member in the APF, Myanmar National Human Rights Committee participated at the meeting as observer.

Mr. Wynn Lwin, who is the member of Myanmar National Human Rights Committee presented its on-going activities at the New Delhi Meeting. “The Myanmar National Human Rights Committee was formed in April 2000. With the support of Australian government, it has been organizing human rights training programs and workshops for the law enforcement officers to give basic human rights education,” said U Wynn Lwin, the former Burmese Ambassador to India.

The next Annual meeting of the APF will be held in Nepal.

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