On this day, in 1989, the first meeting of the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) was held. This was the occasion for the issuance of the AICHR's first progress report, containing recommendations designed to guide AICHR's agenda during its current session scheduled to begin November 7, 2000. At today's AICHR session, a new Secretary-General for AICHR was selected by Thailand. The new Secretary-General is a senior Thai Justice Department official who has played an active role in Thai efforts to promote and protect human rights. Thailand's new Secretary-General was appointed during the Thai AICHR session held on July 27-29 in Bangkok. The July 28 session also considered the first report of AICHR's Working Group on Interpretation and Application of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This is an issue which AICHR will continue to monitor. Working Group members consider the interpretation of the ICCPR and its application in light of evolving international standards as one of the most pressing contemporary challenges to human rights protection. The AICHR Working Group on Interpretation and Application is chaired by Professor William A. Schabas, Professor of International Law at Middlesex University, London. Professor Schabas has been an outspoken critic of international law's failure to prevent grave abuses such as crimes against humanity. AICHR will continue to monitor the situation and issue its second progress report in November. As a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations, AICHR has the task of promoting and protecting human rights in Southeast Asia, specifically focusing on Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. In addition to the protection of civil and political rights, AICHR also plays an active role in promoting and protecting economic, social, cultural and environmental rights in the region. In further developments: In the area of civil and political rights, AICHR is continuing to monitor the situation in Burma with a view to expressing a strong and clear opinion on human rights violations by Burma in its second report to the UN General Assembly, which is expected to be presented in November 2000. The working group on Burma is scheduled to meet in Geneva on September 26-27, 2000. In the area of economic, social, cultural and environmental rights, AICHR is continuing to address critical issues in the region. For example, AICHR has called on the governments of Malaysia and the Philippines to provide redress for the grave human rights violations in their countries, which were caused by the conflict between the military forces of the Government and the Moro Communities in the latter's struggle for independence. For further information contact: Dr Ko Ko-keung, Manager of the ASEAN/Pacific Unit, KoKo International Tel: (852) 2877 7890 E-mail: koko@ko.to Ko Ko International is one of Asia's largest private publishers specialising in Asian politics, economics and society. It also provides services such as translation, interpretation, printing, and distribution. Established in 1988, the company's head office is in Hong Kong with branch offices in Kuala Lumpur, and a distribution network through ASEAN, Australia, New Zealand and the US. Ko Ko operates in East and South East Asia, and provides a wide range of services including press relations, promotion, events, exhibitions, publications, books and magazines. CONTACT: Ko Ko International Tel: (852) 2877 7890 Fax: (852) 2877 7870 E-mail: koko@ko.to ****************************************************************************** ******* Your comments are automatically sent to: pekil@mofo.com The weekly Burma/Myanmar Press Digest is distributed electronically. If you would be interested in receiving the newsletter regularly, please send us an e-mail message containing your name and e-mail address. Regards, Erik van 't Kruijs Rome, Dec 2000