The Evolving Nature of ASEAN’s Human Rights Perspective: Vision and Practice

Year 2023, , 31 - 52, 20.12.2023

Ferhat Durmaz

https://doi.org/10.58699/tyir.1369435

Abstract

The matter of human rights was not a priority topic in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regionalism in the 20th century. However, human rights have become an important issue of cooperation in the ASEAN regionalism in the 21st century. From this point of view, this article analyzes the motivations that guide ASEAN cooperation regarding human rights, the historical development of the cooperation process and the problems faced by cooperation in the field of human rights in practice. The article’s main argument is that while ASEAN has strengthened collaboration in human rights in theory in the 21st century, it has not developed a similar behavior in practice, and there is an imbalance between the theory and practice in cooperation concerning human rights. This study shows that ASEAN’s traditional method of collaboration based on consensus-based decision-making and non-binding institutions has caused to a decrease in the effectiveness of cooperation over human rights and means that ASEAN is unable to reply effectively to human rights violations.

Keywords

ASEAN, ASEAN Charter, ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD), ASEAN ıntergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC)

ASEAN’in İnsan Hakları Perspektifinin Dönüşen Niteliği: Vizyon ve Uygulama

Abstract

Güneydoğu Asya Uluslar Birliği (ASEAN) bölgeselleşmesinde 20. yüzyılda ikincil bir gündem maddesi olarak kabul edilen insan hakları 21. yüzyıla gelindiğinde önemli bir iş birliği konusu haline gelmiştir. Bu noktadan hareketle bu makalenin amacı, ASEAN’ın insan hakları alanındaki iş birliğine yön veren motivasyonları, iş birliği sürecinin tarihsel gelişimini ve insan hakları alanındaki iş birliğinin uygulamada karşılaştığı sorunları analiz etmektir. Makalenin temel argümanı, ASEAN’ın 21. yüzyılda teoride insan hakları alanında güçlü bir iş birliği vizyonu ortaya koymasına rağmen pratikte benzer yönde bir davranış geliştirmediği ve insan hakları alanındaki iş birliğinde teori ve pratik arasında bir dengesizliğin olduğu yönündedir. Çalışma, ASEAN’ın bağlayıcı olmayan kurumlara ve uzlaşıya dayalı karar almaya dayanan geleneksel iş birliği yönteminin insan hakları alanındaki iş birliğinin etkinliğinin azalmasına yol açtığını ve ASEAN’ın insan hakları ihlalleri karşısında güçlü bir cevap verememesine neden olduğunu göstermiştir.

Keywords

ASEAN, ASEAN Tüzüğü, ASEAN İnsan Hakları Deklarasyonu (AHRD), ASEAN Hükümetler Arası İnsan Hakları Komisyonu (AICHR), ASEAN Kadın ve Çocuk Haklarının Geliştirilmesi ve Korunması Komisyonu (ACWC)

References

• AICHR. “AICHR Key Documents”, https://aichr.org/key-documents/, (accessed 01.09.2023).
• ASEAN (1991). “1991 Joint communique of the 24th ASEAN ministerial meeting”, https://cil.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/1991-24th-AMMJC-1.pdf (accessed 01.09.2023).
• ASEAN (1992). “1992 Joint communique of the 25th ASEAN ministerial meeting”, https://cil.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/1992-25th-AMMJC.doc (accessed 01.09.2023).
• ASEAN (1993). “1993 Joint communique of the 26th ASEAN ministerial meeting”, https://cil.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/1993-26th-AMMJC-1.pdf (accessed 01.09.2023).
• ASEAN (2007). “The ASEAN Charter”, https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/ images/archive/publications/ASEAN-Charter.pdf (accessed 01.09.2023).
• ASEAN (2009). “ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (Terms of Reference)”, https://aichr.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/TOR-of-AICHR.pdf (accessed 01.09.2023).
• ASEAN (2010). “Terms of Reference: ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children”, https://www.asean.org/wp-content/uploads/images/2012/Social_cultural/ ACW/TOR-ACWC.pdf (accessed 01.09.2023).
• ASEAN (2013). “ASEAN Human Rights Declaration: and the Phnom Penh Statement on the Adoption of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD)”, https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/6_AHRD_Booklet.pdf (accessed 01.09.2023).
• Asplund, Andre (2014). “ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights: Civil Society Organizations’ Limited Influence on ASEAN”, Journal of Asian Public Policy, 7 (2): 191-199.
• Bangkok Post (18 May 2010).
• Bangkok Post (18 November 2012).
• Caballero-Anthony, Mely. (2014), “Understanding ASEAN’s Centrality: Bases and Prospects in an Evolving Regional Architecture”, The Pacific Review, 27 (4): 563-584.
• Ciorciari, John D. (2012). “Institutionalizing Human Rights in Southeast Asia”, Human Rights Quarterly, 34 (3): 695-725.
• Clarke, Gerard (2015). “The Evolving ASEAN Human Rights System: The ASEAN Human Rights Declaration of 2012”, Ooi Kee Beng and others (eds.), The 3rd ASEAN Reader (Singapore: ISEAS): 284-289.
• Collins, Alan (2008). “A People-Oriented ASEAN: A Door Ajar or Closed for Civil Society Organizations?”, Contemporary Southeast Asia, 30 (2): 313-331.
• Collins, Alan (2019). “From Commitment to Compliance: ASEAN's Human Rights Regression?”, The Pacific Review, 32 (3): 365-394.
• Davies, Mathew (2013). “The ASEAN Synthesis: Human Rights, Non-intervention, and the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration”, Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, 14 (2): 51-58.
• Durmaz, Ferhat (2023). “ASEAN Regionalism in the 21st century: a Review of the Community-Building Process (2003-2015)”, Manas Sosyal Araştırmalar Dergisi, 12(2): 759-774.
• Hassan, Mohamed Jawhar (2015). “Trust-Building in Southeast Asia: What Made it Possible?”, Ooi Kee Beng and others (eds.), The 3rd ASEAN Reader (Singapore: ISEAS): 313-316.
• Henders, Susan J (8 March 2022). “Asian values”, Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Asian-values (accessed 01.09.2023).
• Jakarta Globe (3 August 2011).
• Jakarta Post (15 June 2007).
• Jakarta Post (9 October 2007).
• Jakarta Post (21 November 2007).
• Jakarta Post (28 February 2009).
• Jakarta Post (18 June 2015).
• Kipgen, Nehginpao (2012). “Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): Cooperation Problems on Human Rights”, Strategic Analysis, 36 (1): 100-111.
• Koh, Tommy. (2009). “The Negotiating Process”, Tommy Koh, Rosario G Manalo, and Walter Woon (eds.), The Making of the ASEAN Charter (Singapore: Institute of Policy Studies & World Scientific Publishing, 2009): 47-68.
• Kun, Zhai (2009). “The ASEAN Power”, Ron Huisken (ed.), The Architecture of Security in the Asia-Pacific (Australia: ANU Press): 21-32.
• Nair, Deepak (2011). “ASEAN’s Core Norms in the Context of the Global Financial Crisis: Is the Crisis a Catalyst for Institutional Development?”, Asian Survey, 51 (2): 245-267.
• Nandyatama Randy Wirasta (2019). “Conclusion: The Future of Human Rights in ASEAN”, Randy Wirasta Nandyatama, Dio Herdiawan Tobing, Shah Suraj Bharat (eds.), The Evolution of The ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism Institutional and Thematic Issues Within (Indonesia: ASEAN Studies Center): 232-246.
• Narine, Shaun (2018). The New ASEAN in Asia-Pacific & Beyond (Boulder and London: Lynne Rienner Publishers). Natalegawa, Marty (2018). Does ASEAN Matter? A View from Within (Singapore: ISEAS).
• Phan, Hao Duy (2019). “Promotional versus protective design: the case of the ASEAN intergovernmental commission on human rights”, The International Journal of Human Rights, 23 (6): 915-937.
• Pitsuwan, Surin and Kate Yoon (2016). “Working towards ASEAN Unity: An Interview with Surin Pitsuwan”, Harvard International Review, 37 (2): 55-57.
• Poole, Avery (2015). “The World is Outraged: Legitimacy in the Making of the ASEAN Human Rights Body”, Contemporary Southeast Asia, 37 (3): 355-380.
• Renshaw Catherine M. (2013). “The ASEAN human rights declaration 2012”, Hum Rights Law Review, 13 (3): 557-579.
• Roberts, Christopher B. (2012). ASEAN Regionalism: Cooperation, Values and Institutionalization (Abingdon: Routledge).
• Simon, Sheldon (2008). “ASEAN and Multilateralism: The Long, Bumpy Road to Community”, Contemporary Southeast Asia, 30 (2): 264-292.
• Straits Times (21 January 2007).
• Straits Times (2 January 2016).
• Sukma, Rizal (2015). “ASEAN Beyond 2015: The Imperatives for Further Institutional Changes”, Ooi Kee Beng and others (Eds.), The 3rd ASEAN Reader (Singapore: ISEAS): 413-417.
• Tobing, Dio Herdiawan (2019). “Introduction: The Human Rights Body of ASEAN”, Randy Wirasta Nandyatama, Dio Herdiawan Tobing, Shah Suraj Bharat (eds.), The Evolution of The ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism Institutional and Thematic Issues Within (Indonesia: ASEAN Studies Center): 1-17.
• U.S. Department of State (20 November 2012). “ASEAN Declaration on Human Rights”, https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2012/11/200915.htm, (accessed 01.09.2023).
• Wahyuningrum, Yuyun (2021). “A decade of institutionalizing human rights in ASEAN: Progress and challenges”, Journal of Human Rights, 20 (2): 158-175.
• Woon, Walter (2016). The ASEAN Charter: A Commentary (Singapore: NUS Press).
• Wu, Chien-Huei (2016). “Human Rights in ASEAN Context: Between Universalism and Relativism”, Chang-fa Lo, Nigel N.T. Li, Tsai-yu Lin (eds.), Legal Thoughts between the East and the West in the Multilevel Legal Order (Singapore: Springer): 277-290.
• Yates, Robert (2019). Understanding ASEAN’s Role in Asia-Pacific Order (Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan). Yukawa, Taku (2018). “The ASEAN Way as a Symbol: An Analysis of Discourses on the ASEAN Norms”, The Pacific Review, 31 (3): 298-314.