Asia Rights

IN THE MARCH ISSUE: FOCUSES ON INDONESIA, BURMA/MYANMAR, NORTH KOREA, SOUTH KOREA, THE PHILIPPINES, AND JAPAN

NEW: ONE YEAR AFTER THE GREAT EAST JAPAN EARTHQUAKE, TSUNAMI, AND NUCLEAR DISASTER
Japan marks 1 year since the massive quake and tsunami disaster that ravaged the shores of its northeast coastline. Today, Japan faces an even greater nuclear threat. To view captured images from a documentary special on the aftermath of March 11 disaster, click here.
To read about the day of the commemoration, click here.

NEW: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OUTRAGED OVER THE FORCED REPATRIATION OF NORTH KOREAN REFUGEES IN CHINA
31 North Korean refugees have been repatriated to North Korea despite South Korean lawmakers’ efforts to stop China’s forced repatriation. Representative Kim Hyung-oh stated that “repatriation of North Korean defectors is not just a matter concerning Korean people, but it’s a matter of infringement of universal human values” in an interview with the Korea Times. For more information, click here.
To read about a UNHCR report on the legal grounds for protection of North Korean refugees, click here.

INDONESIA: MITIGATING VIOLENCE IN THE APRIL 9 ELECTION
International Crisis Group has asserted that, despite rhetorical commitments on the part of all contenders to a peaceful election, getting as many trained monitors to Aceh as possible in the coming weeks is critical. To read the full report, click here.

NORTH KOREA: THE NORTH KOREA NUCLEAR DEAL
North Korea recently offered to halt some nuclear activities as part of a deal that would bring in 240,000 metric tons of food aid from the United States. This surprising move by the North also poses some important questions about the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for regional stability. For more information, click here.

SOUTH KOREA: NAVAL BASE PLAN STOKES CONFLICT ON JEJU
Jeju Island, where the government plans to construct a naval base, has been recognized by UNESCO as an ecological reserve and world heritage site because of its pristine natural environment and beautiful sceneries. As a result, villagers and various environmentalist and religious groups are urging officials to abandon their plans for a military base on the volcanic island of Jeju. Robert Redford recently called on campaigners to block the plan in a blog post for OnEarth.org. To read his appeal, click here.

PHILIPPINES: IMPOVERISHED URBAN CHILDREN FACE GREATER RISKS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE AND POVERTY
UNICEF has reported that children growing up in the poorest urban areas in the Philippines are increasingly worse off than those in rural regions and face greater risks from natural disasters, exploitation and HIV. For more information, click here.

MYANMAR: REFUGEES IN MYANMAR’S KACHIN STATE HOPE NEW ELECTIONS WILL BRING A CEASEFIRE AND AID
Thousands of refugees from Myanmar have been made homeless after a fire raging through a refugee camp in Tak province in northwest Thailand burned down over 1,000 houses. To read the full article, click here.

BURMA: WITH SIGNS OF SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL MOVES TAKING PLACE IN BURMA, Trevor Wilson of the College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University, examines Burma’s human rights problems in international context, and considers ways to move forward. To read Trevor Wilson’s analysis, click here.

ASIA WIDE: REGIONAL RESPONSES TO LABOUR TRAFFICKING AND REFUGEE MOVEMENTS IN ASIA-PACIFIC
A conference was recently held at the University of New England on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 September. The Researchers and human rights advocates meeting at the University of New England pledged their support for replacing mandatory detention with the processing of asylum seekers within the Australian community. Conference participants adopted, by acclamation, the following resolution: