Former representatives to Asean rights body urges Myanmar to free detainees

Former representatives to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) called for the release of all the people detained in Myanmar after the military staged a lightning coup and seized power.

“The removal and takeover of the civilian government that was elected in a landslide victory by the people of Myanmar is contrary to the principles of democracy and constitutional government, rule of law, good governance, and respect for and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms enshrined in the ASEAN charter,” the group said in a statement.

“Myanmar, as a member of ASEAN, is obliged to abide by the charter,” it added.

The group said the coup amounts to a serious breach of human rights of the people of Myanmar as recognized by the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration.

“The declaration that Myanmar’s government adopted binds Myanmar, including its military. The violent crackdown on the ongoing peaceful protests is further evidence of widespread human rights abuses,” it said.

The group also said the coup staged by the military “is a definite setback in Myanmar’s process of democratization and has far-reaching ramifications for human rights in the region.”

“Not only will the coup destabilize the region, but it is also a catalyst allowing the military to act unchecked to afflict the people of Myanmar with the unacceptable malaise of dictatorship,” it said.

Meanwhile, it also urged the Myanmar military to resolve the election dispute “through democratic processes.”

‘[E]nter into constructive dialogue with the stakeholders in Myanmar to break through any impasse, and work towards reconciliation and return of Myanmar to civilian rule consistent with the spirit, will and interest of the people of Myanmar,” the group said.

It also asked the military to respect the human rights of the people of Myanmar and refrain from any use of violence against peaceful assemblies.

It added that the military should protect the voices of the people calling for a fully democratic Myanmar “in the manifestation of the founding spirit and principles of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration.”

Further, the group called on the AICHR to exercise its protection mandate to look into the human rights abuses in Myanmar. It also urged ASEAN to convene a special meeting to discuss the situation in the country and to propose possible solutions for the crisis.

The number of people known to have been detained since the coup halted a tentative transition towards democracy had reached 495 by Wednesday, Myanmar's Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said in a statement.

It said 460 were still being held.

The army took power after the electoral commission rejected its accusations of fraud in a November 8 election swept by Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party, prompting anger from Western countries as well as the local protests.

Nobel Peace laureate Suu Kyi, detained since the coup, faces charges for violating the Natural Disaster Management Law as well as illegally importing six walkie talkie radios. Her next court appearance has been set for March 1.

The signatories to the statement are Loretta Ann Rosales of the Philippines, Sriprapha Petcharamesree and Seree Nonthasoot of Thailand, Edmund Bon Tai Soon and Muhammad Shafee Abdullah of Malaysia, Dinna Prapto Rajaha and Rafendi Djamin of Indonesia and Barry Desker of Singapore.—Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF, GMA News