The Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights

by Tan, Hsien-li

• ISBN13: 9781107004498
• ISBN10: 1107004497
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-08-15
• Publisher: Cambridge Univ Pr

Summary

This assessment of progress in Southeast Asia on human rights begins in the wake of the 'Asian values' debate and culminates in the formal regional institutionalisation of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). Chapters examine the arduous negotiation of AICHR, the evolving relationship between ASEAN states' and the international human rights system, and the historical and experiential reasons for hesitancy. The text concludes with a discussion of how the evolving right to development impacts upon AICHR and international human rights in general, and how their preference for economic, social and development rights could help ASEAN states shape the debate.

Author Biography

Tan Hsien-Li is Research Fellow and Executive Director of the 'ASEAN Integration through Law' project at the Centre for International Law, National University of Singapore, which investigates the role of law and the rule of law in Asian legal integration.

Table of Contents

List of tables	p. ix
Preface	p. xi
Charting the human rights institutionalisation process in Southeast Asia	p. 1
Whither a regional or sub-regional human rights system for Asia?	p. 1
The framework of human rights in ASEAN	p. 5
Chapter outlines	p. 12
Enough of 'Asian values': roots of the ASEAN states' reticence towards human rights	p. 24
Introduction	p. 24
Pre-modern foundations of international human rights: the conspicuous exclusion of coloured peoples	p. 28
The advent of modern international human rights: the UN Charter and Bill of Rights	p. 32
Developments after the Bill of Rights: from the middle of the Cold War to the twenty-first century	p. 42
Where was Asia in the making of international human rights law? Possible roots of ASEAN states' aversion to human rights	p. 60
Conciusion	p. 69
Self-determination and democracy: the human rights experiences of five ASEAN states	p. 72
Introduction	p. 72
Case-studies of Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore	p. 77
Conclusion	p. 136
Instituting the regional rights regime: the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the role of civil society	p. 139
Introduction	p. 139
The dichotomy between the ASEAN Way and human rights	p. 144
ASEAN's rejection of norm change: neither participatory regionalism nor flexible engagement	p. 147
How ASEAN softened its stance on human rights	p. 151
The promotion and protection of human rights by AICHR	p. 157
Track 2 and 3 influences on human rights	p. 163
Consolidation of the Working Group's initiatives with that of the Vientiane Action Programme (VAP)	p. 167
The next phase: regional human rights transformation through AICHR	p. 176
Human rights understanding between the ASEAN region and the United Nations: convergence, regional cohesion, and national responsibility	p. 181
Introduction	p. 181
Convergence of UN and ASEAN agendas on human rights issues	p. 183
Relating UN initiatives to ASEAN: maximising domestic impact	p. 192
Moving forward: establishing national human rights institutions (NHRIs) in ASEAN states	p. 197
Conclusion	p. 202
The unexplored aspect of human rights: what ASEAN needs to understand about the right to development	p. 206
Introduction	p. 206
The 'generational theory of human rights' and the 'right to development': mere terms of art?	p. 209
Meeting each other half way: the development discourse adopting human rights practices	p. 213
The five ASEAN states and the Millennium Development Goals	p. 220
Improving human rights and development: how to get states to act on trade, aid, and good governance?	p. 227
Conclusion	p. 245
Sustaining AICHR's substantive empowerment: implementation, integration, and international law	p. 248
Implementing human rights norms	p. 248
Integrating a human rights culture into ASEAN societies	p. 251
Developing international human rights law at the ASEAN regional level	p. 254
Bibliography and sources	p. 257
Index	p. 286
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